


A Changed Future

by Dunuelos



Series: Galactica Meets Babylon 5 [2]
Category: Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica (2003), Battlestar Prometheus
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2020-09-07 21:10:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 116,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20316070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dunuelos/pseuds/Dunuelos
Summary: The Thirteen Tribes of Kobol have to navigate getting along with other governments and establishing themselves. And they still have survivors to find and rebuild their fleet. The Interstellar Alliance has its own problems to contend with. This is how things change for both.





	1. At the End of the Civil War

Admiral William Adama was on the Prometheus in orbit of Earth in the aftermath of the Civil War. Its commander, Karla Harvoth, was still commanding it, but Adama wanted to be there. His Galactica was still undergoing major repairs to the superstructure and this was the only way to be on scene.

When the final push toward Earth began, Pegasus had been swapped out with the larger ship. Prometheus had been loaded with raptors, vipers, and – like the Pegasus – one bay had been given an installation of Minbari Nials.

All Battlestars with 4 landing bays were given one bay of Nials and a White Star from the Rangers – or they would have them once the current mission was over. The purpose of that was to support the efforts to retrieve survivors from the Colonies, from Copernicus, and Terran refugees. The Minbari Warrior caste, without a war between Minbar and another power, welcomed the chance for their members to serve honorably and to hone their skills in actual battle as it occurred.

When the Earthforce Omegas led by Sheridan had hit Earth, the League ships had stayed to watch over the Omegas that were suffering from Sheridan's surprise of telepaths altered by the Shadows.

Sheridan, however, had called for the League ships when the defense platforms had been turned by Clark toward Earth itself.

Prometheus had the unique ability to answer the call far more efficiently than any other ship. Rather than requiring time to travel via hyperspace, the Prometheus could jump immediately. Every Nial that had been flying landed on the ship, as did two White Stars. Within two minutes, the jump had been made and Prometheus disgorged vipers, raptors and Nials before jumping to another location in orbit and disgorging more. A White Star had also launched at each location. The Gunstars, which had also jumped, had suffered some damage but had made it through.

It had been a great victory – and absolutely terrifying to every Earth officer and Alien commander which had seen it.

A planetary defense grid was supposed to make the space around a planet virtually impenetrable. The Tribes of Kobol, with their ability to appear instantly and to target from any direction before the platform could make a weapons lock, took out the defense grid with great efficiency.

Against a ship, the Colonials would have been disadvantaged by their weapons which were effectively just bullets and the random missile. Against stationary platforms, even as the Omegas had begun to get pounded by the grid, raptors and vipers armed with missiles took them out, saving many ships and hundreds of lives. Only 5 vipers and 2 raptors had been destroyed.

Adama knew, at that moment, that the newly renamed Tribes of Kobol had splashed onto the interstellar map in a way that could not be ignored. It made invading New Kobol a scary proposition – but raiders would be trying their damndest to obtain it. He would have to alert New Kobol pretty damn quick about what had happened.

Tory Foster would be working night and day on treaties with other governments to keep the technology controlled.

* * *

"Admiral," a voice spoke.

He turned. "Commander."

"We've got a call from the Minbari Ambassador. She asked for you."

Adama nodded. He went over to the comm. station. "Put her through."

"Infali, this is Copernicus. Fleet Actual is standing by."

"Admiral Adama. This is Delenn. I have request." Delenn was speaking in broken but passable Colonial standard.

"Go ahead, Ambassador." Adama used his newly learned English – he was getting much better.

"I wanted to invite you to the Enfili," Delenn's voice came back in English. "I am inviting all League members as well for a conference. About the future."

Adama considered that. "When?"

"Four standard hours."

"Should I bring Ambassador Foster?"

"Ambassador Foster would be welcome." Tory Foster had been officially named the Ambassador-at-Large of New Kobol to all non-Kobol governments.

"Acknowledged. We will be there."

"Thank you. We will expect you."

"Understood. Adama, Out."

Adama wondered what all this was about.

* * *

As Foster and Adama walked behind several Ambassadors, he heard the Centauri Ambassador speaking. He struggled to understand the words – his English wasn't perfect yet. "Yes. Come in. Delenn has quite the proposal. I hope you have all brought a change of underwear."

Adama looked at Tory in confusion. "A change in underwear? That means that he's saying this is very funny or very frightening." Tory was much better with English idioms. Tory chuckled as the two entered the room. "He looks more amused than frightened."

Adama looked and nodded. "Yes. He does, doesn't he?"

When Delenn was through presenting the idea Adama was a bit surprised – but not shocked. He asked Tory, "What do you think?"

Tory considered it. "It _sounds_ fairly positive. And from what I've read about history in the galaxy, a central organization might do much to quell conflict. I'm worried about our place though."

"Why?"

"We were counting on being able to sell gravity systems to other governments as a means of income." Tory then asked for Delenn's attention.

"Ambassador Foster."

"This proposal includes providing technologies based on what the Vorlons left behind including teaching members how to achieve artificial-gravity system construction. How will this proposed Alliance counteract negative effects on proposed members? We were planning on using our systems as a means to achieve trade with other governments."

Delenn considered that, as did the other League Ambassadors. Delenn turned to G'Kar and Mollari. "Ideas?"

Mollari looked thoughtful. G'Kar offered, "The Minbari and the Centauri both have ships that have gravity as well – it would not have been a monopoly for the Tribes of Kobol. If we do go through with allowing Rangers from all member governments, the building of Alliance ships for the Rangers will have to, eventually, be done by the Alliance and not Minbar alone. The White Stars fleet will eventually have to be replaced or added to. If we ensure that members are guaranteed contracts for a part of that that would offset that loss. I believe that should be sufficient recompense for the loss of the effective monopoly."

Tory and Adama talked briefly and eventually Tory said, "Thank you."

The League members all continued reviewing it. Discussion were had. Finally the Brakiri asked, "And what about Earth? Even with their recent Civil War, they are widely influential. Have they signed on?"

Delenn nodded in respect at the question. "We have not presented it to them, though we plan to. There is one possibility which will influence them – a way to make it unlikely that they will refuse."

"And what method would that be?" the Ambassador asked.

Delenn showed a little smirk. "A proposal for the first President." She explained.

The League members were a bit awed. The Drazi Ambassador turned to the New Kobol representatives. "You are Human – you understand better how they will think. Will this work?"

Tory looked at Adama. Adama considered for a long moment. Finally he spoke. "Honestly? It will do two things: It will anger those who supported the Clark regime and it will force them to agree. They won't be able to ignore it. They can't have such an influential Earth human in that position with no ties back to Earthgov. Yes. It will work."

Chatter between Ambassadors picked up. Adama then added, "Though I have a question."

Delenn asked, "Yes?"

"Will he be the Earth representative or will he _only_ represent the Alliance?"

Delenn, G'Kar, and Londo all were taken aback at the question. On Babylon 5, Sheridan and Sinclair had been the Earth Representative to the Advisory Committee and had wielded the chair of the meetings.

"And the thrust of the question is …?" Delenn asked.

"Is the President any being agreed on by the members or must he already be a representative and member? Will the President of the Alliance be chosen from existing representatives? This will be important. Maybe for ten years, or even twenty, Sheridan will be fine. Or even Delenn or G'Kar. You all have worked with them and trust them to look out for everyone. But if this will last beyond them, if it lasts hundreds of years into the future, the rules will have to be laid out. Now. When there isn't a succession crisis."

Those present considered that for a long moment. Finally one of the Aliens asked, "What do you suggest?"

Adama and Tory looked at each other. Tory finally said, "I think for now every world should make the choice. If a Centauri, for example, were made President, the Centauri would have to decide if they were willing for their representative to be responsible for all interests to take precedence in exchange for the President being from that government, or if they should have a separate Ambassador who concentrated more on Centauri interests."

She looked around. "This cannot be by race. In the past, it seems to those who just arrived, League membership was based less on government and more on race. Well, New Kobol is mainly Human – but that doesn't mean we would be happy with Earth Alliance representing us and looking out for our interest. If Mars becomes independent, they will have to be able to represent themselves. So it can't be Humans, Minbari, Gaim, Drazi, etc. It has to be Earth Alliance, Minbari Federation, Drazi Freehold, etc. I will have to consult with my government, but I believe the Tribes of Kobol will take this position." Adama echoed his agreement immediately.

One of the members, the Abai, asked, "What of your jump drive? If you become a member, will this technology be available to all members?" Everyone stilled.

Adama stood up and Tory translated.

"Honored representatives, I do believe that this technology will be best kept out of general use. We needed this technology when we lived in the Kobol sector – where Hyperspace is too chaotic to use. Our drive was the only way to travel. However, would any of you wish for wide knowledge of how this is done to get out? Even if we agreed to allow the Alliance to use it, all member races would then achieve it. Unscrupulous tech spies would thereafter have much easier access. In the past, our merchant ships had the drive.

"But I am certain that your ship commanders have told how our drive could be used to create great damage. The Thirteen Tribes of Kobol are removing this drive from all but our largest ships and our government is already contemplating treaties being required to limit use of it. We do not want to be responsible for anyone being able to attack your worlds with it."

There were murmurs around the room but none sounded too disappointed. In truth, the battle had scared many and most didn't want to contemplate possible enemies having access to the technology.

Very soon after the meeting, all League Ambassadors were making contact with their governments as regards the proposal to dissolve the League and replace with the Interstellar Alliance.

Adama was on hand when the proposal was accepted by unanimous consent. The formal voting on the position of the President of the Interstellar Alliance was anti-climactic. The position would become active upon the candidate's resignation from his government's military service.

* * *

Adama was sitting across from President Luchenko, Tory Foster was sitting next to Adama and Commander Harvoth was sitting on his other side. Also present were General Robert Leftcourt of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Earthforce and the head of the Military Appropriations committee for the Earth Senate.

"Admiral Adama. Thank you for accepting Earthgov's invitation to speak with us directly. Stories of Humans from another civilization has caught the interest of our people."

"Thank you for inviting me, Madam President," he replied. "We are gratified to reconnect with our brothers and sisters from Earth. For us, Earth was a myth from our Sacred Scrolls. And though we have since found that the Earth referred to in our scrolls was not actually this Earth, the name still resonates with my people."

Susanna Luchenko nodded graciously. "We are pleased that this is so. Now. To the matter at hand: We could dance around the matter in diplomatic language and take far longer than necessary, so I hope that you don't mind if I get right to the point."

"Please do so. It's refreshing from a politician."

"Your FTL drive has created great consternation for Earthgov and for the Earth Alliance military. Many of our generals and senators have expressed fear and excitement as regards the possibility of such a drive. Fear, because it allowed our defensive grid to be made obsolete and excitement over the possibility of obtaining the technology. What are your thoughts?"

Adama considered how to most diplomatically answer. "I understand. The technology was developed centuries ago and was the only Faster-Than-Light travel we could devise. Even the Vorlons, who originally took our ancestors from Earth thousands of years ago, didn't have it. I believe that, for the most part, it's far too dangerous to become widely known." Adama noted Leftcourt nodding in agreement almost reflexively. The Senator present looked thoughtful and disappointed at once. Luchenko kept the same expression.

"During the meeting with the Ambassadors, as the Interstellar Alliance was being discussed, we were asked if this technology would be made available, along with technology for artificial gravity. And I'll tell you what I told them: We are already removing our FTL drive from all but our Battlestars and high-level government ships, such as the Pheonix. Our raptors we haven't decided on. Even our Gunstars, which are the equivalent of a corvette ship, are being changed a hyperspace drive will be installed."

General Leftcourt motioned for permission and Luchenko nodded. "Why? Why would you deliberately limit yourself?"

"Because we don't want to be attacked by every pirate who thinks he has a chance to get it. I can imagine criminal syndicates who would kill my people just to get the technology. And while we have safeguards to destroy the drive if necessary, that won't stop people from trying. We have less than 150,000 people. We can't afford wars others about it."

Luchenko said in a slightly wheedling tone, "Your people _are_ descended from Earth. We have a shared history, no matter how long ago it was. It would be fairly easy to join the Earth Alliance."

Adama nodded and turned to Tory to take this question. "When we became aware of Earth, the idea of becoming part of the Earth Alliance was discussed. We ignored the internal struggle because we knew it would eventually become resolved. The truth is, however, that we have been gone for 5000 years. Our fundamental beliefs and identity is too far removed. Just two and a half years ago, we had more Humans in the Colonies of Kobol than in all of Earth Alliance. And though we came through a genocide against us, committed by our own invention, the Cylons, we did come through it. And I am certain that as a Human yourself you can understand: Giving up our identity would be, for us, surrender. The Cylon Empire wanted to destroy us, to take the place of their imperfect parents. We refuse to bow down and surrender to them, or to anyone. We would die to the last before doing so."

Luchenko sighed. "As the President of Earth Alliance, I regret that we cannot make you, once again, a part of us. As a Russian woman … I can understand your position. Russia went through its own long, cold, hard winters, when all others around us were enemies and we stood alone, fighting to survive. We reacted as you do – we would not submit; it just wasn't in us."

Foster, Adama and Harvoth nodded in agreement.

"Anyway." Luchenko shook herself out of her minor, pensive manner. "Still. I am certain that there can be something that could benefit both of our peoples. What was your take on the Interstellar Alliance when it was proposed?"

Adama and Foster looked at each other and Foster motioned for Adama to speak. "We were interested … and worried."

The Senator asked, "Worried?"

Adama looked at him. "We are people with limited resources. New Kobol was given to us through the good graces of the Minbari after it was abandoned during the Shadow War. For a mutual defense treaty and agreements to work with them on cultural and religious understanding, they gave it to us. We needed a home and they had one available. Through chance we were given advance warning as to how to most respectfully meet them – a Human Ranger explained their protocols. Earth didn't have that, which caused the war Earth and Minbar had years ago. But we were desperate and it was available. Anyway, because we were refugees, we didn't have much. We were surprised to find most races didn't have artificial gravity. We thought to use it as coin to establish ourselves in the larger galaxy. But the Interstellar Alliance, as a part of its promises, included giving technologies to its members. Which lost us that coin. We will be a part of whatever ship-building the Alliance does in the future as a means to make up for it. But it was a hard blow. We did, however, vote for the Alliance."

Luchenko was intrigued. "If the Interstellar Alliance could have a negative impact on your economic future, why did you join? Why tie yourselves to such an endeavor?"

Adama looked at her. "Because the truth is: There are too many threats if we don't. The Shadows, from our understanding, played upon the inherent self-interest of each government to sow war all around. Even your former President was assisted by them to assassinate his predecessor. The Centauri were encouraged to invade Narn – and then to start fights with all of its neighbors. The Minbari were influenced to Civil War, and the Drakh, who used to work for the Shadows, influenced them. When will they show up again? And what other enemies are out there who could use guile and stealth to create wars, looking to gain for themselves?"

He looked at those present. "My people were twelve separate colonies, though we all came from Kobol – twelve tribes on twelve planets which had wars and disagreements and persecution between them. And in the end, the only way to survive was to band together. Without the Articles of Colonization which unified us, we would have been destroyed in the first Cylon War. And when they came back in overwhelming force, those who survived did so because we were unified. Without that shared identity, we would be gone – and no one outside of the Cylons would ever have known we existed. And I am certain that they wouldn't have taken efforts to remember us as we would have liked to be remembered. Even the Vorlons left us on our own 2000 years ago. So why become a part of this Alliance? Because it's the only way to make certain that we survive."

Adama sighed. "I've been reading Earth poetry, trying to learn English and to understand our brothers and sisters from Earth. I don't remember the name of the poem but the last line is: 'And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?' I took it to mean that although the Shadows are gone, the Vorlons are gone, the known First Ones are gone, the Cylons, for the most part, are contained elsewhere, what new enemy is going to show up and blow up the galaxy again? Can you really afford to wait until something shows up to try to build an Alliance then?"

Luchenko, Leftcourt, and the Senator all considered that argument. Finally Luchenko said, "We're still discussing becoming part of the Alliance. But even if we do, I do think that we can help each other. I'd like to make a proposition."

Adama considered. "That is?"

Luchenko leaned forward. "We have a number of ships that are becoming obsolete. We can't afford to just take them out of service because even we cannot build enough ships to replace them and maintain our readiness. Your people have gravity and your people are Human and understand how Humans think. We," she motioned toward Leftcourt and the Senator, "would like to send one Hyperion to your Logo Negro station, along with several Earth Alliance engineers. We would like to find out if it is possible to retrofit an Earthforce Hyperion with artificial gravity. Hyperions are fast and powerful for their size but too much infrastructure is involved in maintaining crew health under Zero Gravity conditions, thus reducing room for more powerful systems. If … _if_ … they can be retrofitted at a reasonable cost it could do much for us. We could spend far less money for a faster result than trying to replace all of our current ships with new ones. The first will be a joint effort. And if the first can be done and an effective process worked out, we would then send a Nova-Class destroyer to work out a similar process."

Adama, Tory, and Harvoth asked to speak amongst themselves. Foster finally asked that they be allowed time to contact New Kobol.

* * *

Adama got word: Earth had agreed to become part of the Interstellar Alliance and Sheridan had successfully navigated his way to a pardon for all of his people.

Making Earth emancipate Mars, he thought, was a good way to show them that they had lost the Civil War.

* * *

Finally, Luchenko, Leftcourt, and Senator Henderson met with Adama and Foster (Harvoth had returned to her ship).

"Ambassador Foster. Admiral Adama. What did the President of New Kobol think of our proposal?" Luchenko asked.

"President Grazier, in consultation with Fleet Admiral Turner and the Kobol Senate, agreed. They would like to have your ship and people sent while details are worked out as far as remuneration and technology exchange. But they were all for it."

Luchenko nodded. "Good." She turned to Leftcourt. "We'll need a military representative as well."

Leftcourt replied, "Yes, Madam President. I'll have a name by the time we're ready to send them."

Adama said, "I might have a suggestion."

Leftcourt looked at Adama. "And who would you suggest?"

"Ivanova."

All three Earth Alliance representatives looked taken aback. "Why Captain Ivanova?"

Adama looked at them knowingly. "Even though Babylon 5 is still independent, they are planning to have an Earthforce commander – I asked Sheridan about that when I spoke to him briefly. Ivanova has been there for four years. Even though she has kept the place together, I find it likely that Sheridan will ask for someone else – she needs a post which is less active for a while. Only through random chance was the Pegasus able to save her damaged ship from destruction when she took on those ships that Clark had built with Shadow tech. Sheridan was dealing with a plot against him and sent her off to lead that battle. She deserved the promotion – but she needs a break.

"Give her the Hyperion and tell her that you're sending her to oversee the retrofit. She had experience with dealing with pretty much every situation having to do with battle as well as administrative work. She was responsible for keeping Babylon 5 costs down and so has experience with budgets. She ran Babylon 5 when Sheridan was leading the League against the Shadows. When she was called to take charge of the White Star squadron, she did that as well. She was loyal to Sheridan, yes, but I've talked to her. She's _idealistically_ loyal to other Earthforce officers and crew. She's also all about kicking ass. She'll make certain that whatever is done to your ship is the best possible option toward making it work and work well."

The three Earth Alliance members moved off to speak quietly. When they came back Leftcourt said, "We'll offer it to her. The other choice is a Warlock-class destroyer and she might prefer that. I'll let her know she was specifically requested."

"Thank you."

* * *

Adama, who was in an office set aside for visiting Admirals, looked up when the chime sounded. "Come in."

A Colonial marine poked his head in. "Earthforce Captain Ivanova to see you."

"Send her in."

Adama stood up. Ivanova came in and snapped to attention and saluted. Adama returned the salute. "Captain Ivanova. Welcome to the Prometheus."

"Thank you, Admiral. I wanted to talk to you before you left." Prometheus was scheduled to return to New Kobol space.

Adama motioned her to sit down, which she did. "What can I do for you?"

Ivanova looked at him. "General Leftcourt told me that you asked for me as the overseer on this refit project."

"Yes. Yes, I did. Did he tell you my reasons?" he asked.

"No, Sir."

Adama nodded. "I'll tell you what I told him. You've been running B5 for much of the last four years. And for the last two years you've been on constant duty. Sheridan will likely have to accept that Earth Alliance will want a new station commander for Babylon 5. You deserve a ship – but you also are experienced at what it will take to run a Military project. You understand budgets, administration, working with civilians, and you are familiar with different types of ships and technology. Giving you this job will give you a break while putting your talents and knowledge to use. You'll also be looking out for the crews that will man the ships that will go through this and the needs of Earth Alliance against possible enemies. When the ship is done, you'll be taking it out on its shakedown cruise. It's an important project. Would you rather leave the needs of Earth and your fellow Earthforce officers and crew to bean counters and politicians?"

Ivanova snorted. "No, Admiral. Politicians and bean counters aren't the most sympathetic to what a crew needs."

"Exactly. Those were the reasons I gave Leftcourt. Those _weren't_ all of my reasons."

"Oh?" she asked curiously and cautiously.

"Now that the Earth Alliance is done, they're going to have time to deal with things that they've been putting off. Like chasing down rogue telepaths. The Tribes of Kobol are planning on providing a safe haven from Psi Corp and Earth Alliance rules and laws. I'd like someone on hand who knows Earth Alliance law who isn't sympathetic to Psi Corp. Colonel Alexander is fine, but she's new. She still needs some seasoning. I'm planning on offering her services to Sheridan to learn how to do proper intelligence gathering until they move to Minbar. By the way, I have to thank you."

Susan was curious, "For what, Admiral?"

"For turning Mr. Alexander into a soldier rather than a civilian. She's still learning New Kobol regulations, but she's now a real officer. So thanks."

Susan nodded. "You're welcome." She smiled. "It was fun playing drill sergeant. I got to work out my past issues about my own time in boot."

Adama chuckled. "It's a lot more fun being the one ordering the pushups than the one doing them." Adama then paused and added with a sly tone, "Also, I heard that Ranger Cole will be based out of Ranger Headquarters for a while – and New Kobol is pretty close."

Susan suddenly looked shocked. "What are you talking about? Marcus and I are just comrades, not … whatever you're thinking!"

Adama grinned. "Sure. Whatever you say." Suddenly, he became more serious. "That man is head over heels. You've been fighting against acting and you've been putting it off because of duty. Take it from an old soldier – grab happiness when you can. It's worth it."

Susan sighed. "I'll take your advice under consideration."

"You do that. Anyway. So can I expect you on the ship that they are sending us?"

Susan sighed. "Fine. Yes. I'll be there."

"Good. We're looking forward to having you. Dismissed, Captain."

As Susan walked back to the shuttle she had come on, she started making plans in her head. "I need to meet with John and tell him. I've got to let Leftcourt know I accepted it. And find out what exact ship I'm taking and the hyperspace address and route. I've got to let Marcus know I'm …." She was suddenly horrified to realize where her mind had instinctively taken her. She stopped and yelled, "DAMN IT!" to herself, startling the Colonial crew members she was passing by and the one leading her. She ignored their reactions and stalked toward the landing bay.


	2. Cleaning Out the Colonies

"Homeworld Defense. This is Prometheus."

"Prometheus, Go."

"Fleet Actual requests Homeworld Defense Actual."

"Stand by."

After a few minutes another voice came through. "Prometheus. This is Defense Actual."

Adama took this. "John. Is there anything I need to know before checking in with our boss?"

There was some humor in the General's voice as he replied, "No, Bill. No emergencies. Nothing out of ordinary. Pegasus will be leaving for another run to the colonies and then on to Copernicus. Nova and Celestial have sent back a few more from Terra who made it to Copernicus space."

"Good. You got the word about the Hyperion?"

"Turner informed me. How long do you think before they arrive?"

"They are pretty gung-ho on the idea. I should warn you – the Captain they are sending with it can be a ball buster. Treat her nice and she'll be nice. I think you'll like her."

"Sounds like my kind of woman."

"She's got something going on – sorry. How's my ship?"

"Galactica will be two more months. Sorry – you're stuck for a while."

"Story of my life. At least Laura will be happy."

"Say hello to your schoolteacher for me. Anyway. Thanks for checking in."

"Not a problem. Fleet Actual, out."

* * *

Adama nodded at the various officers and enlisted who snapped to attention as he passed by them as he made his way into New Kobol Military headquarters. He didn't know if he would ever get used to being treated like an Admiral. He much preferred being on a Battlestar.

Finally he made it to where he wanted to go. The civilian stood up when she saw who it was. "Admiral Adama. Welcome back."

"Thank you. Is Admiral Turner available?"

"He will be back in twenty minutes. Do you want to wait or leave a message?"

He considered it. If he went to his office, it would be two hours before he could come back. "I'll wait. Please tell my office that I will be there once I've talked with the Chairman."

The woman nodded. "Admiral Turner is in that part of Headquarters. He's meeting several engineers at R&D to get an update on the Narn-Kobol project."

Adama considered that. "Maybe I should meet him there. Please call ahead and tell them I'm coming."

"Of course, Admiral. Admiral Turner is on the third level, room 12 Beta."

"Thank you."

* * *

Adama made his way to the proper offices. As he walked in, several people paused. Fleet Admiral Jonathon Turner was there. "Admiral Adama. Welcome back from Earth. I'll want to get a report but we're talking about something you need to know." He motioned toward the rest of the room. He saw that Lee was there as well. There wasn't time to speak personally. "Tell him what you've told me."

"Yes, Admiral," a man in a suit answered. "Admiral. We've run into a problem with the gravity systems we're trying to install on the Narn ships as well as the ones we were planning on putting in the new Battlestar."

"What's the problem?" Adama asked.

"Narn construction materials. They use a different formulation for their circuit board and while theoretically that shouldn't be a problem, we've found that it isn't quite right for the circuits we are trying to make. If we had a year and a host of engineers, it could be worked out fairly quickly. But we're making do with the materiel we have. And it will take six months to begin building what we need to make our own circuit boards and chips for our systems. But if we begin to install using our store of parts, we'll run out before we get to building our own Battlestar."

Adama nodded. "So what is the solution?"

"That's where Commander Adama comes in." The man looked at Lee.

Lee stepped forward. "Welcome back, Admiral."

"Thanks, Lee. You're looking good." Bill Adama took the time to greet his son, protocol be damned. "How's your crew?"

"Doing better after getting some shore leave. But you know we're heading back to the Colonies in a few days, right?"

"Yes. The schedules came to me even in the midst of the Earth situation. I wish you luck in finding more of our people."

Lee nodded. "Thanks. But Admiral Turner asked that we do another job while we're there."

"Which is?" he asked.

"We're going to try to recover the dies, the lasers, and whatever equipment we can from a few manufacturers. According to them," he motioned toward the engineers, "anything that isn't completely destroyed will help get things moving faster than building from scratch. Even just the crystals used to focus the lasers would help because they will be at right frequencies rather than finding new ones at the right frequency."

Adama was leery. "The Cylons probably wrecked those things pretty well."

One of the Engineers spoke, "I worked at one of those companies. I know where the secure storage is which had the backups. If the Cylons were concentrating on people and the equipment, they probably didn't search for the vaults. There could be a treasure trove."

Adama nodded. "I hope so." He turned to Lee. "You ready for such a possibly dangerous mission?"

Lee put on a confident smirk. "After what we've been through? This is a lot less stressful. We don't have a civilian fleet we're going to be protecting while we do this."

"True." Adama chuckled. "Unless you just jinxed yourself."

Turner spoke. "Well, a new-found civilian fleet would be a win. So even if he did jinx it, it can only be a good thing."

"Understood, Admiral," Adama said.

Turner asked Lee, "So, Commander. You have the priority list of places to salvage from?"

"Yes, Admiral Turner. We'll review it before we launch the mission."

"Good man. A lot is riding on this mission – so good luck."

Lee turned to his father. "We're without Sharon though."

"She had her baby?"

"Yes."

"Well, we've already established the routes so we shouldn't have any problems." He paused. "None of the others found were viable candidates?"

Lee shook his head. "No. The ones who are fairly innocent aren't that knowledgeable and the ones with knowledge are unrepentant war criminals. No – we're going to be on our own for this one."

"Understood. Good luck. And come back safe."

"Yes, Sir."

Adama turned back toward the others who were watching. "Okay. What else do I need to know about?"

Turner spoke. "We're getting occasional independent traders showing up looking for business. Not many. But there are inquiries as to what can be traded. We're not far from Minbari space and they are stopping by on the way through. They are all being sent to Lobo Negro and the President has a new Secretary of Commerce who is coordinating through an office there. But that's going to be a security issue soon. Lobo Negro is a mobile repair spacedock, not a trading station. With the Galactica there, and soon an Earthforce ship or two, we can't afford having unvetted visitors coming."

Adama nodded. "Has anyone come up with a solution?"

"Not yet."

Adama nodded. He turned to Lee. "When you're at the colonies, see if there are any more Battlestar frames that can be salvaged. If we get another one, we strip it of what would be needed on the other ships and then use the frame as a basis for a dock."

Turner was leery. "That sounds almost disrespectful."

Adama sighed. "I know. But the truth is that seven Battlestars is more than sufficient for the moment and we couldn't man any more ships than we have if we tried. And over the next several years some of them will be replaced as we get newer technology. Some of our Gunstars are likely to become obsolete as well. We're going to have to use everything we can get to establish ourselves. Remember my ship was going to be a museum. I'd like to keep her in service but everything has its time. Making a Battlestar frame into a station might be the best way to separate our Military from our civilian infrastructure. I'd rather not buy something from another government and we don't have the resources to build another."

Turner nodded. "I'll talk to Grazier and see what he thinks." He looked at Lee. "But I agree. Commander, do look out for another frame we can salvage. If nothing else, we can use the spare parts or raw materiel."

"Aye, Admiral."

* * *

Later, the Pegasus Commander was reviewing the ship's complement. "Status of the Rising Star?"

Gaeta, who had been assigned a more permanent placement while Galactica was in drydock, answered. "Rising Star is in Bay 4. It is fully restocked with medical supplies and anti-radiation medicine. All personnel have arrived for the mission."

"Good. And since bay four is for returning raptors as well, that takes us to Bay 3. The White Star?"

"White Star 29 is on board. Ranger Corlon commanding. Ranger Cole is still on missions as regards the Earth Civil war aftermath. So we will be relying on datalink for detailed communication."

"How's your English?" Lee asked with amusement.

"I'm still learning, Commander. That will take a while." There had been talks of what languages to learn. While the Feek of the Warrior caste had some interest, Earth English was considered more universal. And so officers who would be working outside of Kew Kobol space were being forced to learn it. Regular crew were given the option but it was seen as a positive when it came to promotion.

"Me, too. Well, at least we have datalinks. And the Nials and transports that fill the rest of Bay 3?"

"All are fully charged and ready. We've filled the fuel bays for them."

"Good. Bay 2. The Cybele."

"Cybele is fully fueled and emptied of beds and equipment for people. Its bays are ready for whatever salvage we might get."

"Good. And the Gemeni."

"Gemeni is set up for any survivors that aren't on the Rising Star. We aren't optimistic, but we are hopeful."

"Right." Lee sighed. The truth was that it was less and less likely they would find survivors. Another run had been made with the Eternal and not many had been found – not even enough to fill one transport. A smaller Minbari ship, the Liandra, had been the ship which took the place of a White Star. It was not that old, about 15 years, but it was considered too small and underpowered for use in many battles. It wasn't really a warship, it was more of a scout ship. But it had a hyperspace jump drive and it had scanners so it could perform the function needed for the mission.

However, they hadn't been able to take a run at the cities. Without the White Star, Cylon defenses would be prepared for what they would be able to bring to bear.

Lee considered that for a long moment. "

Finally Lee asked, "Status of crew?"

"All crew have reported back and we are on normal ship schedule."

"Any issues with the ship?"

"All systems show green. We're ready to go."

"Good. Contact Homeworld Defense and let them know that we are preparing to jump out."

"Aye, Sir."

"Fire up that new Comm system and see if we can reach Shai Alyt Shakiri."

"Sir?" Gaeta was confused.

"Bay 1 isn't holding anything. We're going to be prepared for a fight – hiding non-Colonial involvement won't matter much longer. If we're going to hit the cities, we might need extra help. I'll go as we are, but let's see if Shakiri has any ideas."

Shakiri, in fact, did have ideas. The Pegasus stopped by Minbari space on its way to Sector 87, which was the launch point. It took on board a ship that was larger than the Liandra but not as large as a White Star, the Enfali.

It held no fighters and, while it was a warship, it was severely outclassed by larger ships. However, it was no pushover.

It also fit in front of the Rising Star in Bay 4.

* * *

The Pegasus had taken three days to reach the Helios system, using a combination of hyperspace travel and their own drive.

"Alright. Mr. Gaeta. Did we see any ships before we entered hypserspace?"

"No, Commander. But we arrived too far out for Dradis to work."

"Can we get a lock on any of the beacons?"

On the last mission, the Battlestar Eternal had dropped hyperspace beacons which would assist future missions to the Twelve Colonies. None were very powerful, but given that hyperspace travel was limited to being within the influence of the stars, they were considered acceptable.

It took a few moments. "We can't. But the White Star does report a lock."

"Well, ask them to lead us to the closest one."

"Aye, Commander."

* * *

Soon, the beacon for Helios Beta was off the port bow. "Major Kelly. Prepare for operations. Let's begin by scanning Troy and Pallas and move out from there." Aaron Kelly had been promoted and given permanent posting as the Pegasus Executive Officer.

"Aye, Sir." Lee was planning on scanning all planets, not just the twelve colonies.

The salvage would be on Scorpia, where the factory which made the gravity systems was located. Scorpia was in Helios Gamma.

This particular step required the White Star to move between the various possible locations and only drop back into hyperspace if they found anything. If Cylons appeared, the White Star was supposed to run.

The Enfali, which had stealth, would scan the dark side of Virgon, the only colony world in Helios Delta. As it was dark against the night sky, it would be easier to hide from prying Cylon eyes.

* * *

It was sixteen hours later and they were meeting on Pegasus in hyperspace.

"Okay. So, no survivors left in Helios Delta. Is that what we have?"

The Ranger, Corlon, spoke. "My ship checked all known mining locations and stations. We found no Human survivors. We did find one mine which seems to have Cylons working it."

"And you weren't detected, Corlon?"

"Not as far as our sensors told. There was no reaction to our presence and we left quickly."

He asked Gaeta. "Did we mark the location?"

"Yes, Commander. Records indicate a Tylium mine in that location. It's likely what is being mined by the Cylons."

"Right." He paused. "Mark it on the map for future bombings if it becomes advisable." He turned to the Enfali captain. "Nothing on Virgon?"

"No, Commander. From all indications, the planet was razed by bombs. We even scanned the hills and mountainous areas. No Human readings. Some scattered Cylons but they were likely put here just after the invasion to find and kill humans who had escaped."

Lee sighed. "So Helio Beta is, for all intents and purposes, now completely dead. Are there any installations that are on the salvage list in this system?"

Gaeta replied, "No, Commander."

"Okay. Then we are moving to Helios Gamma. This one has almost no installations beyond the colonies themselves but it had three colonies. One which is Scorpia, on which we hope to find some salvage. I am told that even if everything looks bombed out, what we are looking for is likely safe. However, we'll have to take the radiation meds – Scopria was hit harder than even Caprica and Virgon – there were too many military installations there. Grab some rack time and let's meet back in 10 hours. Any questions?"

"No, Commander."

"Good. Dismissed."

* * *

The next day, the White Star did a sweep of Libran. Sagittaron was also checked. Because Copernicus had swept this system, as well, it wasn't a surprise to find no more survivors.

Finally, they arrived at Scorpia. Gaeta was listening on his comm.. "White Star reports no survivors on scan. Salvage area located. No Cylons in area."

"Well, that's at least one thing that's gone right. Are the Raptors loaded with the salvage team?" Lee asked.

"Yes, Sir."

"Launch operation Salvage."

"Launching Salvage, Aye." Gaeta did as required and soon, the raptors containing several civilians and a few marines in radiation gear were on their way.

* * *

It took about an hour. "Commander. Salvage reports that they have found the storage vault. It is intact."

"Good. How long to open it?"

Gaeta talked for a few moments on the comm. He then waited, as it was being relayed through the White Star. "Explosives team has already opened it." He paused. "Initial report is that they have found the vault contents intact."

"Outstanding." Lee breathed a sigh of relief. He knew how important this equipment would be for the future of New Kobol.

After about twenty minutes, Gaeta got another call.

"Commander. Salvage requests that we send more raptors or that Cybele be sent to be loaded directly. The Salvage team has found additional storage rooms which survived – they were on the same level as the vaults. According to manifests, the factory was preparing to replace old equipment. The new equipment is still boxed – it was delivered just days before the attack."

"Notify Cybele that they need to land. Deploy a raptor to lead them."

"Aye, Sir."

Within a few moments, Cybele was making its way to the Minbari Flyer set to open the window to real space. "Mr. Gaeta. Have we given Cybele emergency coordinates?"

Gaeta was taken aback. "No, Sir. None of the transports were originally planned on leaving the ship."

"Set emergency coordinates to … Hibernia. We've already determined there are no Cylon ships in Helios Beta and the Cylons present are on the surface of Virgon or at Troy. Ask the White Star to relay the coordinates to all Raptors."

"Sending coordinates, Aye." Soon all ships had the coordinates, including the Flyers, White Star, and the Enfali. If needed, a ship could go there in hyperspace and lead Cybele out.

* * *

Lee's precautions proved unnecessary. The Cylons were distinctive in their absence. Even when Salvage opened up the reserve vault under Scorpia central bank to retrieve all available hard currency, no Cylons appeared.

Admiral Adama had mentioned that Scorpia often had the most hard currency on hand because most pay for Colonial military went through that bank, and hard currency was often preferred because of the Cylon war.

If there had been power to the city, there would have been alarms sounding throughout the city and the military structure, but it had been two years and all such infrastructure had been destroyed by the Cylons. And the Cylons had no need for Cubits.

Cybele had to stop loading on the surface because the currency weighed too much. Raptors were used to ferry the last of the reserve to orbit and then into hyperspace. Cybele could reduce gravity in the cargo holds and they did so. The landing decks on the Pegasus did not have permanent gravity either, most ships attaching to the deck by means of magnetic holds during landing. The bay holding Cybele was left off and those on Cybele stayed in the crew quarters and not the holds.

Lee had several New Kobol marines to keep security on it, as little as it might be needed.

* * *

Within 30 hours, Pegasus was once again in hyperspace and all units had retreated from normal space.

Lee led the meeting. "Okay. We've gotten the salvage. We haven't found additional survivors. And we haven't seen any Cylon ships. Any guesses as to why that is?"

Major Kelly said, "I was guessing that they aren't here because there are no known colonials."

Lee nodded. "True. But they have to have known that we've come back, as had Copernicus, to find any survivors. I would have assumed that they would have some detections systems in place." He turned. "Ranger? Did the White Star pick up any transmissions?"

"No, Commander. All known frequencies, Colonial and Cylon, have been quiet. Only our transmissions were present."

Lee nodded. "Well, we're done with Gamma and Beta. It's time to move to Alpha and Delta."

Kara, who was leading the Raptors, asked, "What about Ragnar?"

Lee looked at her. "What do you mean?"

Kara replied, "We know the Cylons can't stay there. Sure, Galactica cleared it out of ammo and missiles, but what if other ships went there to hide?"

Lee paused and considered that. "You might have something there. The Cylons might have gone there and destroyed it though. They could have lasted long enough to do that."

"True. But it won't hurt to take a look."

Lee considered that. He turned to Ranger Corlon. "There is a gas giant which orbits Helios Gamma and Beta. We call it Ragnar. It has an odd radiation which is safe for humans but Cylons eventually succumb. There is a very specific route that needs to be taken to enter the area where we have an old munitions anchorage. Can a hyperspace portal be opened from such an environment?"

Corlon considered it. "Without know the radiation type, I don't know if it will interfere with a jump engine. But I don't anticipate that there would be too much difficulty."

Lee nodded. "How maneuverable is the Enfali?"

"It is a Minbari scout ship. It is very maneuverable." Corlon was completely confident in his answer.

"Of all the people here, Kara has flown the route in a viper. I'd rather not take the Pegasus through unless it's necessary. But if we jumped to the entrance, could the Enfali follow a viper inside, and see if there is anyone there?"

"We will get it done," Corlon replied. "We live for the one, we die for the one."

Lee sighed. "I'd rather you live this time. I propose we jump to the entrance. The Enfali and Kyra in a viper enter the Ragnar passage and the White Star opens hyperspace for the Pegasus. We wait in hyperspace for word back."

"How long does the passage take?"

Kara answered that. "It's about thirty five minutes with a larger ship. A viper takes twenty. The Enfali isn't so large that it needs such precise turns. But plan for thirty minutes."

"I believe that the White Star might be a better choice. It is more advanced and likely more maneuverable. It also has bigger guns if there is a surprise. Captain Thrace can land on the White Star if necessary. The Flyer One could open the portal for the Pegasus."

Lee considered the argument. "Then that's what we will do. Right now, let's get some rack time. In ten hours, we leave for Ragnar. We'll move to Helios Delta after that. Dismissed."

* * *

The next day, Lee was once more in CIC. "Mr. Gaeta. Set Condition One throughout the ship. Once we're out, get the Flyer back on board and prepare to jump."

"Condition One, Aye." After everything was done, Gaeta said, "Pegasus is ready."

"Signal the Flyer to open the door."

Very soon, Pegasus was once again in normal space and the Flyer was landing. Once that was confirmed, Lee gave the order. "Jump."

Gaeta twisted its tail and Pegasus disappeared from Helios Gamma and appeared very near the Ragnar passage.

"Launch Scouts."

Soon, all three ships had launched. "Get me Starbuck."

Soon Kara's voice was heard. "This is Starbuck."

"Go ahead and lead White Star 29. We'll go to hyperspace once you are inside."

"You got it, Pegasus. We'll see you on the flip side. Starbuck, Out."

* * *

Kara contacted the White Star. "We're about five more minutes. Are you having any difficulty?"

"No, Captain. You've kept a smooth route. What should we expect?"

"The passage opens up almost like we're coming out of a hole in the wall of gas. While the area isn't completely clear, it's not a dense fog bank like the sides of the passage. We should see Ragnar anchorage fairly clearly."

"Understood. We're following your lead."

"Acknowledged."

Very soon, Kara called again. "Okay. We've gone one more turn, and then it's about a hundred kilometers straight through."

"Acknowledged, Starbuck."

* * *

Soon the viper and the White Star were flying out of the wall of gas. Kara, who had her comm open, was heard to say, "Holy fracking Gods."

Instead of the munitions anchor alone, there were about fourteen ships of various sizes, including two battlestars, though both looked shot up.

Suddenly, a message came through. "This is Battlestar Cygus to Unknown viper and ship. Please identify."

Kara was shocked. "This is scout viper. Callsign Starbuck. The ship is White Star 29. What in the names of the Lords of Kobol is going on?"

"Starbuck. What ship are you off of?" came the reply.

"I am currently off of Pegasus, which is nearby. Do you mind if I get our ship here? I think you and Commander Adama will need to talk."

"Commander Adama? I thought he was commanding Galactica," the voice came through. "Cain commanded Pegasus."

"There's been a few changes. And I'm not talking about William Adama. I'm talking about his son, Lee Adama. I want to warn you, we're going to be doing something you don't understand. But it's completely safe if you stay back."

"We'll have to take your word for it. Weapons are not operational. We were shoved onto whatever ships could carry people. But that's something to talk to your commander about, I guess."

"Acknowledged, Cygus. Give us a few minutes. You're going to see a big hole in space – ignore it. We'll explain when everyone is here."

"Understood. We're standing by."

"White Star 29. Did you catch all of that?"

"We caught that. We'll open a vortex and send through to Pegasus. Flyer 1 can lead Pegasus here."

"Acknowledged. I'll just stay here and freak out."

"Understood." Corlon's tone indicated that wasn't quite true but he accepted it.

* * *

Very soon, Pegasus had entered Ragnar space via a hyperspace vortex.

Kara was relieved to hear Lee's voice. "This is Pegasus to Cygus."

"This is Cygus. Lt. Simmons commanding. You are a sight for sore eyes."

"Lt. Simmons? This is Commander Lee Adama. Where did you all come from?"

"Two weeks ago, the Cylons took all of the prisoners they had and every survivor they knew about and shoved us all on these ships. According to the skinjob who sent us here, the Cylons are in a Civil War. The ones who decided it was wrong to kill all humans put us here and told us that they were searching for the Galactica's location so they could send us. But we haven't heard back in over a week. We've got limited supplies, limited fuel, and not many officers. I'm just a First Lieutenant and I'm commanding a Battlestar. Which has no working guns. We've done the best we can to fix things, but we need some help here."

"Well, considering that my father, who is now Admiral Adama and commandant of the New Kobol fleet, sent me to find survivors, I think we can help out. Do you have any raptors to come over?"

"No, Commander. We've got a couple of vipers and no viper pilots. Every pilot we've got is on the bridge of one of the ships."

"Understood. What is the other Battlestar?"

"That is Themis. Second Lieutenant Freedman commanding."

There was a long pause. "Okay. I think I got the idea. We've got some officers here who can take command if needed. My exec is Major Kelly and Starbuck is at least a Captain. Do you have any objections to more experienced officers coming over?"

"No, Commander. I would welcome it."

"Okay. Expect a raptor with your new commanders and a few marines – just to make sure. Now. How about wounded? Are there any wounded?"

"All over the place." Simmons really sounded frazzled. "We've been doing the best we can."

"Okay. Can all ships receive?"

"Yes, Commander. The radios at least work. They are all listening in."

"Good. All ships. This is Commander Lee Adama, commanding Battlestar Pegasus. On one of our decks is the Rising Star, a medical transport. It is where we're taking care of wounded. Prepare your worst cases for transport. Raptors will come to all ships and pick them up. And then I would like all pilots to come over with them so that we can plan on how we're getting you out. Any questions?" There was a long pause. "Any objections?" Silence. "Does everyone understand?" Several answers came back, most of the voices holding a tone of relief. "Okay then. Stand by. You'll be safe soon. Pegasus, Out."

* * *

It actually took almost two days to sort out everything. Several repair crews from Pegasus had to travel to different ships to get them ready to jump. Pegasus also had to refuel four of the ships from her reserve. Luckily Pegasus had been fully fueled for the mission.

In total, there were 13,000 people. Gemini was filled from the most densely packed ships, which was a relief; most of those taken on had been sleeping on whatever deck space was available. The food reserve was passed out and several starving people were really thankful; food had been scarce on the colonies after the fall.

Almost all present needed anti-radiation medicine.

At least Lee had finally gotten the answer to why there seemed to be no more survivors – they had all been removed and shoved into the anchorage.

Finally, 48 hours after Kara's viper had led the White Star to the Ragnar Anchorage, Pegasus was ready to lead the final fleet to their new home.


	3. Emergency Stop

Lee Adama listened to the message over the wireless. "We can't wait that long. We've got too many cases of radiation sickness and not enough meds."

"How bad is it, Starbuck?"

"Well, what we brought helped. But there are a few cases that need extreme treatment. Rising Star can't take any more and we have more to send."

The small fleet had arrived at Sector 87. It had taken longer to traverse the space between the colonies and this entrance because not all ships could take the constant jumping. "Well, we are at the entrance to the gate network. Stand by." He turned and asked, "Mr. Gaeta. How long would it take to get us to Babylon 5 via the hyperspace network?"

Gaeta calculated the route according to the records. "Actually, Babylon 5 is only a few hours away via hyperspace. It's three days to New Kobol."

"Okay. Prepare to open the gate. We're making an emergency stop at Babylon 5."

"Yes, Sir."

"Cygus, did you get that?"

"Yeah. I got it. Thanks. I'd like to keep as many alive as possible."

"I'm all for that. I'll make the announcement and contact them so they are ready. Help coordinate moving the worst cases over here using raptors. It will make it easier to get the meds administered as quickly as possible. Since you're now commanding a Battlestar, I'm delegating this one to you."

"Acknowledged," Kara's exasperated voice came through. "I need to get right on that so if you'll excuse me – Cygus, Out." The line disconnected.

"Captain. Get me all ships."

"All ships, Aye." Geata opened up the comm system and then nodded.

"All Colonial ships, this is Pegasus. We are now officially out of Cylon controlled space, so you can breathe easier. If you look over there, you'll see a large structure. This is the local gate to hyperspace, the same way we left Ragnar. We're opening it and all ships are to enter hyperspace. We will be traveling several hours to Babylon 5, a station built by Earth. We're going to pick up medicine and food there before making our way to New Kobol. Cygus will be coordinating moving all the worst cases of radiation sickness to Pegasus for the quickest treatment. You are all almost to our new home. Welcome to safety. Pegasus, Out."

* * *

Very soon they were in hyperspace. White Star 29 had exited Pegasus and was helping to lead them. "Contact White Star 29 and ask for them to listen in. And then use the new StellarCom to connect to Ambassador Foster on Babylon 5."

"Yes, Sir."

Very soon, Tory Foster's face was on the screen. "Ambassador. Thank you for taking my call."

"Anything to help, Commander. What can I do for you?"

"I'm just back from Colonial space. I've got 15 ships with about 13,000 survivors. We used up the anti-radiation meds and food we brought with us. So we need help arranging for emergency assistance from Babylon 5. We are about eight hours out. We would be there faster, but some of our ships are limping along. We have probably two to three hundred who need medical assistance and won't last to New Kobol space."

"Damn. I'm glad to hear of the survivors. I'll get right on it. There was a crisis with someone trying to kill Sheridan at the Inauguration – a Clark loyalist. That's still settling down. So it's a little chaotic."

"Well, let them know we're coming. And since the policy is to pay as we go, find out how many cubits it will cost. We picked up a few while were there and we can pay for it."

"How many is a few?" Tory asked curiously.

"Well, we cracked open Scorpia Central Bank. We filled a couple of holds on the Cybele. If that gives you an idea."

"Lords of Kobol. I think President Grazier will be thrilled."

"I hope so. Don't tell him yet. But find out how much we need to send over – I'm sure Babylon 5 can use the currency and we could use the meds and about 20,000 to 40,000 meals if they are available."

"You got it. Contact Babylon 5 Control when you are an hour away. Oh. And I have a few more people for you to take to New Kobol. About 40 telepaths. The New Kobol government has already been alerted. I'll let them know you're on your way with survivors and you're stopping here for more anti-radiation meds so they don't have to send a transport. I'll let you have the surprise of telling them about the money."

"Thanks, Tory. Okay. We'll see you soon, Ambassador."

"Foster, Out."

* * *

Felix Gaeta noted the time. He sent a message to the Commander's office. "Commander Adama."

"Yes?"

"We're now an hour out from Babylon 5."

"Good. I'll be right there."

Soon Adama was on the StellerCom.

An unfamiliar face was on the screen. "Commander Adama. I am Captain Elizabeth Lochley, the Babylon 5 Station Commander. How can I help you?"

"It's nice to meet you, Captain. Has Ambassador Foster contacted you?"

"Yes. Doctor Franklin is getting together the meds right now. We don't have the food reserve but Ambassador Foster has made arrangements for a Narn ship to arrive in about 7 hours with 50,000 meals. Will that be sufficient?"

"More than sufficient. Do you have a figure in Colonial Cubits for what this will cost?"

"We've done the calculations. We're sending over 50,000 doses. Colonial Cubits are gold – 30,000 Cubits is what the meds cost. I was in the meeting with Ambassadors Foster and G'Kar. The food will be 8,000 Cubits."

"Okay. Have security ready. I'll be sending a couple of raptors with the Cubits. I'll sign them over to you upon arrival and you can deal with them as you will."

"Of course." She paused. "That's a lot of Gold to be carrying."

"Please keep that to yourself. We recovered quite a bit and I really don't want it generally known that we're carrying so much gold. I haven't even told my government yet. I assume this is a secure comm channel."

"Yes. No one else is in my office and only the Ambassadors know that the money is coming. And no one but yourself knows how much you're carrying. I hope to keep it that way."

"Let's make this delivery quiet. In fact, ask Ambassador Foster to bring the Phoenix on board the Pegasus. No one will question the Ambassador meeting a ship from her own government. You can use it to deliver the meds and we can put the payment onboard before she lands back on Babylon 5."

"That works. We'll be looking for your arrival."

"Confirmed. Pegasus, Out."

Lee turned to Gaeta. "Have the Marines on the Cybele package up 30,000 cubits and 8000 cubits and have them ready to move to the Phoenix after unloading the meds and the medical teams. And have the order in writing for me to sign – we're going to make sure the accounting is all done right on this."

"Yes, Sir."

* * *

Very soon, the Pegasus, the Enfili, and the White Star led the battered ships into Babylon 5 space. "Babylon control, this is New Kobol BS62 Pegasus."

"Pegasus, this is Babylon Control."

"Request coordinates for parking for the ships that arrived with us."

"Stand by." There was a long pause. "Pegasus, request you park all ships twenty kilometers outside of Babylon 5 orbit. New Kobol Phoenix is launching and will meet you there."

"Acknowledged, Babylon Control. Pegasus, Out."

* * *

Soon, all of the ships were out of the way of incoming and outgoing traffic and Phoenix was making its way toward the Pegasus.

Adama went down to meet the medical teams when they arrived.

As soon as the door opened from the landing bay, Lee was confronted by a serious looking Doctor Stephen Franklin. "Where are the patients?"

Lee motioned toward a squad of marines. "My people will lead you to them – we've centralized the worst cases here. They will also help move the medicine or anything else. They are at your command. Just remember – not all of them have learned English, so use gestures as needed."

Dr. Franklin nodded. He looked at the Marines and held up two hands. "Ten." He then pointed toward the bay. "This way."

The marines moved.

Very soon, there was a cavalcade of people carrying boxes and equipment toward the area where the patients had been brought.

At the end, Tory Foster appeared with several Babylon 5 security officers and the Narn ambassador.

"Commander. Welcome to Babylon 5 space."

"Thank you, Ambassador." He looked at those with her. "What's up with the entourage?"

"Security will be ferrying the money, both for Narn and for the station. It works out that they have a mixed crew."

"Okay. Have them wait here – we'll bring it over using our own marines. But would you like to see the Cubits yourself?"

"Yes, I think I would." Tory turned and asked those with her to wait. Lee led her to the entrance to the connection to Cybele. "Okay. Prepare to be amazed." He nodded to the marine, who opened the passage.

The two entered the Cybele. More marines were there, standing guard. "Ambassador Tory Foster, representing the New Kobol government. She's going to visually check our haul, Captain." He said to the Marine in charge.

"Yes, Commander. This way, Commander, Ambassador."

Tory was allowed to look, but not enter. "Actually, the holds are at one-third gravity. It's a little touchy because the mass is the same, and so we can't maneuver as smoothly in battle, but it makes it less likely we're going to have an accident."

"Very nice. President Grazier will be thrilled, I'm certain."

And finally she was led to the eight crates. The eight very heavy crates. "And these are the payments. The six there hold 5,000 each. And those two have 4,000 each." He looked at the marine sergeant. "Open them up."

The marine nodded to his men and Tory inspected them. "30,000 and 8,000. As requested."

Lee took out a few pages. "This will be the receipts. I'll be sign, you'll sign, and then they will sign. Proper accounting and all that."

"Of course." She sighed. "Actually, it's 10,000 for the current shipment and 20,000 we owed for previous meds we received. We've worked out things with the Narns for the food we got when we made the deal on building ships. But we never paid for vaccines we got when we showed up. Make certain that is on the receipt."

"Good idea." Lee noted it down and Tory initialed it.

"I hope you don't take any heat for this."

"If I do, I do. But Grazier agreed with Roslin's policy of paying as we go – we don't need to rack up debts. And people will treat us much nicer if we pay our bills quickly. Bringing payment for the past meds wasn't asked for, but it sure shocked the hell out of Lochley. Sheridan and Delenn were amused with her reaction. And the windfall will be going toward Med Lab since that's the part of operations that the money is paying for. They will be able to pay for replacements directly rather than running through a slew of bureaucracy – Earth is playing nice, but not really."

Lee nodded. "Well, let's get this on the road. Marines, it's time to pay the bills. Let's go."

* * *

Soon, a squad of marines was outside of the landing bay holding the Phoenix. The Colonial Marines and the Babylon 5 Security worked together to get it loaded.

Lee contacted his father through StellerCom to report on the mission and why he wasn't returning via Copernicus space. The Admiral agreed that he had made the right call. Lee would be leaving Babylon 5 space within a day.

Prometheus was dispatched with a couple of more transports on her bays along with two Gunstars which had room to further relieve the overcrowding. Lee was appreciative.

* * *

The Six and the Eight were on a Cylon Heavy raider, moving in to Ragnar Anchorage. They had to report to the Humans that the fleet hadn't been found yet.

When they arrived at the anchorage, they were shocked to find it empty.

"Let's dock and see if there is anyone there," the Six said.

"Good idea." The Eight looked around at the empty space. "Where could they have gone?"

"I don't know."

Finally, the arrived at the anchorage to find that it, too, was empty.

The Six ordered the Centurions, "Open it."

Soon, they entered into the anchorage. "Over there," the Eight commented.

The Six saw what she was talking about and they went over to the large poster board.

_"Hello to the Cylons who brought our people here._

_"First. Thank you. We have now retrieved them and brought them to safety. You no longer need to concern yourselves with them._

_"Second. I have heard that there is a Civil War between those who wish to kill us all and those who are feeling regret. I am hoping that those who find this are from the second group. I assume so as only they would know that the Humans disappeared._

_"Third, I don't know everything but I do know that it is likely that at some point, you will need to withdraw. I am including a set of coordinates, which I will also give to Fleet Command. This will be a location that we are not actually using but which we can arrange to check at least once a week to see if someone wants to talk. I cannot guarantee that my superiors will agree. But I find it likely considering what you have done for us._

_"And finally, Fourth, I should probably give you this information: We have found evidence that the Eastern Alliance from Terra are an offshoot of the Thirteenth Tribe. The Thirteenth Tribe, we found, were an earlier form of Humanform Cylons, NOT Humans, that left Kobol due to prejudice. That they then blew themselves up with their Earth in a war when they made Mechanical Cylons again is ironic._

_"Considering that we have been taking in refugees from Terra, we know that the Cylon Collective has been attacking them. It is a shame considering they are truly your people._

_"Anyway. I felt that you should at least have some idea of what happened to those you were trying to save._

_"Sincerely, Commander Lee Adama, Battlestar Pegasus"_

_Included were the coordinates mentioned._

The Six and the Eight were stunned by the message left.

* * *

Lee was going over the report by Starbuck as to the progress on distributing the anti-radiation meds to those who weren't critical when Gaeta alerted him. "Commander. New contact on Dradis." After a moment, Gaeta continued, "Transponder ID is Battlestar Prometheus. Show two additional, verified as Gunstars Sabre and Tomahawk."

"Good. Wait until they check in with Babylon Control and then get Prometheus on the line."

After a few minutes Gaeta flipped on the speaker. "Pegasus, this is Prometheus. Please respond."

"Prometheus, this is Pegasus."

"We have a few freighters waiting for people on our decks as well. Where should we put them?"

"Stand by."

Lee told him, "Captain, you are in charge of coordinating the people. Work with Captain Thrace. The Narns will be arriving soon. Have Major Kelly on the Themis coordinate food shipments when they arrive. So that's Kelly coordinating food, Thrace coordinating medicine, and you, Captain Gaeta, coordinating ships and people. Any questions?"

"No, Commander."

"Well, then get to it."

"Get me a private line to Prometheus Actual. I'll take it in my office."

* * *

Soon, Lee was on the phone. "Commander Harvoth. Thanks for bringing the extra ships."

"You're welcome. When Admiral Adama sent me, he sounded both stunned and proud. You've done a good thing."

"We actually have the Cylons to thank – they're the ones who centralized the survivors. Captain Thrace, who I put in charge of Cygus, actually had the idea to check Ragnar. And we still have to scan Helios Alpha and Delta ourselves, but from all indications, the well is running pretty dry."

"Understood. Still, 13,000 more survivors is nothing sneeze at."

"True. How are things at New Kobol?"

"Proceeding apace. You've only been gone a week, so not much has changed. But it is starting to look more like a civilization and less like a refugee camp every day. Can I ask a question of you? Commander to Commander?"

"Sure."

"Why are you talking to me and not coordinating?"

Lee smiled. "Well, I have these officers with their shiny new ranks. Gaeta was bumped up two ranks to captain, Starbuck – Thrace – was made a captain; and Kelly was promoted to major. I thought some demonstration of Command level decision making would be good for them. If they are going to have the rank, they should be able to do the job. If things go smoothly, I'll put in commendations for them."

There was a pause. "Well, that's actually good management of junior officers. Nicely done."

"I'm doing my best. Now. Are you secure on that side?"

"Yes. I'm in my office while I my exec is coordinating with the rest."

"Good. You know I was sent to salvage as well as find survivors, correct?"

"Yes."

"Well, I've got a freighter, the Cybele, full of the Scorpia Central Bank's reserve vault. We haven't made a big deal of it – we went to Ragnar after we picked it up and so most of the survivors don't even know. But I've got a pirate's dream on my deck."

"Holy Lords of Kobol. That wasn't in the briefing when I was sent."

"I've been keeping it to myself as a precaution until we get home. We paid for the radiation meds and the food that's being delivered. All it takes for one unscrupulous person to get the idea and we could be hit. There are enough raiders around that I'm quite happy with the extra firepower of the Nials on your deck as well as the one's on mine, in addition to our vipers. Themis and Cygus have no working guns, though we got some vipers and raptors from Pegasus on each. So it's been Pegasus, Enfili, and the White Star to protect the fleet and the shipment. And since we had to manipulate the gravity on Cybele due to the weight, Pegasus would wallow a little bit if it came to battle. So I am thoroughly happy for an additional Battlestar."

Harvoth came back after a moment. "I've got a bigger ship and could jump back in the fewest steps. Should we transfer the Cybele here?"

"I'd rather not alert anyone to the extra ship, or to draw attention to it. Let's get into hyperspace and go directly back. I'll be quite relieved when we're back safe in New Kobol space."

"Agreed. Good luck, Commander."

"To all of us."

* * *

Lee Adama made one more trip to Babylon 5 before they left. He was met at the docking bay by Captain Lochley, Col. Lyta Alexander, Ambassador Tory Foster, Michael Garibaldi, the Security Chief of Babylon 5, and a whole slew of others who were waiting in a group.

Lyta spoke. "Commander Adama. I would like to introduce you to Byron. He is the speaker for these telepaths who are emigrating to New Kobol."

A man, with long blonde hair, stepped forward. "Byron. It's nice to meet you. I am Commander Lee Adama, commanding the Battlestar Pegasus."

The man nodded. "Thank you for your assistance. My people have been looking for a place to call home for a long time."

Lee nodded. "I understand. Our people respect those with your ability. I understand the laws of Earth are … more constrictive. I hope that you do find a home with us where you can prosper."

"Thank you."

Lee spoke. "I do apologize. When we arrived, I had forgotten to ask for you to travel on the Phoenix when it docked. We had medical concerns. I hope that you and your people were not offended that your passage was only arranged at the end of our stop."

"No. We understand. Ambassador Foster explained the exigencies of the situation."

Lee asked, "Exigencies? I am still learning English and I don't know that word."

Byron paused. "I'm sorry. An urgent need or demand."

Lee nodded. "Yes. Exactly. Anyway. I was told there were 40?"

"Yes."

"Very well. I apologize that the passage won't be more comfortable. We have beds and food and all of that, but space is limited – we have 13,000 survivors we are bringing back to New Kobol from the Twelve Colonies. But we have cleared out a bunking area on Pegasus. I hope that is sufficient?"

"Yes. Anything will be fine. Just the possibility of hope means much for us."

"Good. There are three raptors, which can hold 15 each." He turned to the marines with him. "Sergeant. If you can assist our new immigrants …"

"Yes, Commander." The man turned and said, "Come with me, please."

Lee waited until the entire group, carrying very few possessions, passed him toward the landing bays. He turned and said, "Captain. We thank you for the assistance. The meds saved a lot of lives."

"Just doing our job. I look forward to your next visit to Babylon 5."

"Thank you." He turned. "Col. Alexander. Anything for our boss?"

"No, Commander. I've sent my reports. My MOS – my Military Operational Specialty – is Intelligence. President Sheridan has me posted as temporary head of Alliance Intelligence for the year I'm here and Michael Garibaldi, who used to be Head of Security here, is acting as my training officer."

He looked at Michael. "Don't I remember something about you and Sheridan – weren't you trying to set him up or something?"

Michael looked around and saw that no one was close. "I was mind-fracked – I think that's the term your people use – by a Psi Cop. He was using me as a cat's paw to uncover a conspiracy against the Psi Corp. He never bothered asking for permission. Thanks to Lyta here, who's been a friend for a long time, I was cleared. But I will be moving back to Mars to be with the woman I've loved for years. In the meantime, I'm helping teach Lyta while establishing the ground rules for the Alliance Intelligence infrastructure. Making up for the crap I put everyone through when I left." The man shrugged. "I might not wear the uniform anymore, but I'd like to see this work. We went through too much crap getting things to this point." He smirked. "Besides, it's fun playing Spy vs. Spy."

Lee chuckled. "I can understand that – kind of. If I left, I'd probably be doing law of some type. Personally I prefer a uniform for the moment."

Garibaldi gave a mock shudder. "They itch too much."

"Anyway. Please look after her. My father seems quite fond of her and we'd like her back in one piece."

"I'll do my best."

After a short time, all introductions were completed and Lee went back to the waiting raptor. As he was walking he turned his head to the New Kobol marine still with him. "Remind me to look up what in the name of Zues a 'cat's paw' is."

* * *

The small fleet was finally only a day away from New Kobol space. In the interest of getting there faster, they would enter real space in a previously mapped location and jump the final distance, saving a day off their travel – Lee really wanted to get back to New Kobol space.

"Prometheus, this is Pegasus."

"This is Prometheus. Go."

"We're a few minutes out from the jump gate in question. Would you be so kind as to enter normal space first? You're much more intimidating than any other ship we have with us."

"Acknowledged. The White Star can come out with me – they are recognized by just about everyone."

"Works for me. We'll follow with the Themis, Cygus, Pegasus, the ships we're leading, and then Enfali. We'll see you in normal space."

"Confirmed. Prometheus, Out."

Very soon, they were exiting into normal space. Gaeta spoke up. "Several small ships are retreating quickly."

Lee smiled. "Good. Seems like they had a guilty conscious."

Gaeta listened to the comm. "White Star 29 asks if we should pursue?"

"Negative. We'll be gone within 5 minutes. If they feel strongly about it, they can stay behind and check them out. But we're on our way back to New Kobol."

Gaeta sent the message and then reported, "White Star acknowledges. Enfili and White Star signal that this close to Minbari space they need to check it out, if only to make certain that any other ships are not attacked. They say that their part of mission will be complete once the rest of the ships jump out. They will return to New Kobol through hyperspace and complete the report for their part of the mission then."

"Acknowledge. Tell them good luck."

Lee messaged Prometheus. "The Fleet will jump, then the Pegasus, then you. We'll see you at New Kobol."

"Confirmed. See you there. Prometheus, Out."

"Signal the Fleet to start jumping to the provided coordinates."

"Signalling jump signal. Aye." After a long moment, Gaeta spoke. "All ships save the Pegasus and Prometheus have jumped. 5 seconds to jump."

Very soon, Pegasus appeared near the other ships, at a small distance from New Kobol. Prometheus appeared a few seconds later.

"Okay. Let's signal Homeworld Defense. Let them know we're back and we need a representative from the President's Office to take delivery of a special cargo. Might as well request my father to come over as well, and possibly Fleet Admiral Turner."

Gaeta called out, "Making the calls now."

* * *

Lee watched as New Kobol orbit became very busy as ships were unloaded. Any ship that could land was already on the surface. The two Battlestars had to be unloaded safe skeleton crews to keep them minimally operational – Lee had arranged for Kara Thrace and Aaron Kelly to be replaced and to come back over to Pegasus for debriefing.

The Rising Star had also left with its patients so they could be treated on the surface. It had taken three hours, but several raptors had launched toward the Pegasus along with one civilian shuttle from the surface.

"Well, Mr. Gaeta. Turn things over to your relief. You should be there when we reveal our surprise."

"Yes, Sir," Gaeta answered with a smile.

Soon there was a group of officers and crew waiting for their visitors.

* * *

Lee's father arrived with Admiral Turner. General Conner was also present, off of Lobo Negro. All of the officers saluted, which was returned. "Well done. We'll wait for the President and the Commerce Secretary for the details. But you and your crew did a fantastic job."

"Thank you, sir."

Soon, Dr. Grazier, the President, arrived with the Commerce Secretary. All of the Military stood at attention and saluted their Commander-in-Chief, while all crew stood at attention in formation.

Grazier did a passable job returning the salute. "Welcome back, Commander. Thank you for bringing back more of our people. There are quite a few people who have family members who've arrived who are already celebrating. This is a good day."

"Yes, Mr. President. I couldn't have done it without my people." He looked at the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. "I plan on giving commendations to all crew, but especially to Major Kelly, Captain Thrace, and Captain Gaeta. When we left the Cylon sector, we had to go to Babylon 5, as I reported. In addition to commanding Cygus, Captain Thrace organized the medical treatment for those we brought back. Major Kelly, commanding Themis, organized the food deliveries. Captain Gaeta, in addition to calculating all jumps and monitoring the fleet's movements, organized the distribution of people among the ships for most optimum placement according to circumstance. Along with Captain Halloran, the Exec on the Prometheus, they all did an outstanding job, reflecting the finest traditions of Military service for their ranks."

Turner nodded. "I notice that you left out Commander Harvoth and yourself from that list."

"Yes, Admiral. We both decided to let the major and the three captains demonstrate the levels of responsibility their ranks signified. All performed excellently."

Turner looked past Adama and Harvoth toward the four officers standing behind the two Commanders. "Well done, major, captains."

"Thank you, Sir," the four echoed.

The President, who had been waiting, spoke up. "Now, we were requested for a special item?"

Adama nodded. "Yes, Mr. President. I thought that we needed the proper audience for the results of our salvage operations. If you will come this way to the hatch, the captain of the Cybele is waiting on his ship."

The President nodded and he allowed himself and his Commerce Secretary to be led by Adama and Harvoth. The group of Military officers followed after, the Joint Chiefs first and then the three captains and the major.

There was a squad of New Kobol marines standing at attention along with the Cybele crew. The President shook the captain's hand and then they went to the first cargo hold. Lee spoke. "First, this is the equipment we salvaged from the computer manufacturer." Adama led them all in. The hold was fairly full.

The Commerce Secretary walked forward and inspected the boxes and their labels. He had a large smile when he turned. "This is exactly what we asked for. This will save us considerable time and allow us to get operations going for the Narn and Colonial shipyards."

The President was also smiling. "Good. Good. Excellent." The President sighed. "That is a load off of my mind." He turned to Lee. "What else do you have?"

Lee smiled. "This way. I think the other holds will be … a surprise."

The group made its way to cargo bay two. All noticed the Colonial marines standing guard. "This hold is under one-third gravity, as are the other holds carrying what we have here. So be warned when we go in."

The President and the Joint Chiefs were very curious. Lee turned to the marine in charge. "Okay, Sergeant. Open her up."

"Yes, Commander."

The marine entered his access code, set when the cargo was loaded and he was put in charge of the detail. All of those present walked carefully into the bay.

The President, Commerce Secretary, and the Joint Chiefs were stunned. Grazier spoke. "Holy Hera. Is this all Cubits?"

"Yes, Mr. President. We opened up the vaults below Scorpia Central Bank – the repository for the Colonial military payroll. As the Military was the largest employer in the Colonies, the military payroll was the largest real money expense. Scorpia Bank handled all Colonial payroll transactions. We figured that the Cylons weren't interested in money so we checked and found the vaults intact." He motioned toward the piles of money. "And you see the result." He pulled a few sheets from his pocket. "These are the receipts for payment for the meds and food at Babylon 5, authorized by myself and Ambassador Foster on an emergency basis. We also settled the debt from all of the vaccines that we got from them for those who came on the Fleet and from Copernicus – much cheaper than the radiation meds. Who do I turn these receipts over to?"

Grazier chuckled. "Hand them to your boss, who will forward them to my office."

"Yes, Mr. President." With a smile, Lee handed these to his father.

Admiral Adama chuckled and, after looking them over, handed them to Turner, who then reviewed them and handed them to the President. "There. Done," Turner said.

Grazier accepted the documents and put them in his pocket. "I'll have to turn them over to the Treasury Secretary." He turned to Lee. "Why didn't we hear about this when you reported?"

"Security, Mr. President. I didn't want any hint of a wallowing Battlestar full of gold getting out to any raiders or pirates who might be listening in or who might have friends on Babylon 5. It was a risk even paying for the meds and food, but standard policy as set out by former President Roslin and ratified by yourself when the government was reorganized is: Pay every bill immediately or as soon as possible. Babylon 5 and the Narn were quite thankful for the Cubits. Babylon 5 will need to restock from Earth Alliance and having the funds on hand will make it much easier for them. The Narn just appreciated receiving real money for their deliveries. Both should be much easier to work with in the future – which was why Ambassador Foster authorized it on your behalf."

The President nodded. "Outstanding." He let out a long sigh of relief. "This will make things a whole lot easier. We'll just have to be careful – we don't need inflation from a sudden flood of currency." He looked around. "What will it take to get this down to the surface?"

Lee said, "I'll leave that to my superiors. I was just in charge of transport to New Kobol."

* * *

A/N: Here are my rough notes from my planning on this sequel. I've had this since I started and details will come out, but this was the general idea.

Planet: New Kobol

Government: Tribes of Kobol

Organizing Document: Constitution of the Thirteen Tribes of Kobol

Citizenship: Universal Suffrage, ALL citizens eligible to vote or start military service at 18 (can enlist with guardian approval at 17), hold government office at 25 (Humanform Cylons Exempt from Age Requirement),

No laws against Telepaths serving or holding office, telepaths can only scan others with permission or in support of legal procedures voluntarily. Humanform Cylons can only apply for citizenship by passing telepathic scan, Former Earth Citizens can bypass long waiting period for citizenship by passing scan. All Telepaths must disassociate with Earthgov and Psi Corps. Telepaths cannot gamble except pure games of chance (slot machines, roulette, etc)

Freedom of religion guaranteed, no one can be discriminated against by nature of religion or past, however Priests/Priestesses/Oracles can be advisors and Temples can run schools, hospitals, brothels (some Greek/Roman sects had these). Patients can refuse care based on religious belief except in the cases of immunizations, which are required for all citizens (Even those from highly religious tribes). Herbal medicine as directed by particular beliefs are considered legal medicine.

Any imported food type must be certified as safe for human consumption by Department of Agriculture. Import of Earth and non-Earth species (food and non-food) is controlled by Department of Agriculture as well. Heavy fines/imprisonment for animal abuse or importing non-approved species. Pet ownership can be dogs, cats, other species which can be domesticated (ferrets, snakes, rats, etc.).

Legal Precedence can be determined by former Colonial, Terran, and Earth law unless specific law is contrary to Constitution of Thirteen Tribes of Kobol (e.g. laws regarding telepaths)

Gambling/Prostitution is legal but must be licensed and might be illegal in area controlled by particular tribes. Not legal ON military bases but legal for members of military forces to engage in.

Banks must be legally approved and insured.

Monetary unit is the Cubit. Exchange rate set by law or based on metallic content (gold, silver). Colonial Cubits to be exchanged for New Kobol Cubit within one year.

Tribes: Tribe/Former World or referred to as

Aries - Aerilons

Aquarius - Aquarians

Cancer - Cancerons

Capricorn - Capricans

Gemini - Gemenon

Leo – Leonids

Libra - Librans

Pisces - Piconese

Sagittarius - Sagittarons

Scorpio - Scorpians

Taurus - Taurons

Virgo - Virgons

Ophiuchus – Ophics includes Humanform Cylons, Terra Natives

Those applying from Earth or its colonies can apply to any Tribe, Default is Ophiuchus. Non-Humans CAN apply for citizenship but must follow Laws of Thirteen Tribes except where religious/reproductive imperatives would be violated

Executive: President, Vice President 6 year term for president, two term limit

Cabinet, Military, Police Forces, Colonial Police

Legislature

Senate Tribal Colony, 130 representatives, (_another 13 to be added due to additional survivors being found when population is recounted in twelve years_)

26 seats with 2 Representatives minimum per tribe, remaining 104 seats by distribution of population, (Approx 1 per 1000 population) – 3 senators minimum per tribe, recounted every 12 years. 4 year terms for senators, no term limits

Judicial

High Court Quorum of 13, One Seat per Tribe nominated by Tribal Council through Senators from Tribe, appointed by President, can only be refused by 2/3 majority vote by non-tribe Senators, lifetime appointment, mandatory retirement age 75

Each Tribe: One Governor, Representatives to Tribal Council, set individually, 3-7 representatives, can have Tribal Constabulary

President - (DR.) Kevin Grazier (Caprica)

Speaker of the Senate - (DR.) Lucian Zylman (Aquarion)

Chairman, Joint Chiefs Fleet Admiral Jonathan Turner (Leonis)

Commandant Colonial Fleet, Admiral William Adama (Cap)

Commandant Homeworld Defense - Brigadier General John Connors (Tauron)

Commandant Colonial Marines Brigadier General Samuel Clemente

New Kobol Ambassador Tory Foster

Battlestar Galactica, Columbia Class, 1400 M (In drydock)

· Admiral William Adama Commanding

· Colonel Saul Tigh (Cylon Kobol Type) Exec

· Captain Felix Gaeta, O/W

· CAG Capt. Thrace (Starbuck) (On load to Pegasus during refit)

Battlestar Pegasus, Mercury Class, 1700 M

· Commander Lee Adama Commanding

· Captain Aaron Kelly, Acting Exec

Battlestar Erasmus, Valkyrie Class, 700 M Long

· Commander Alousia

From Copernicus Defense Forces

Battlestar Prometheus, New Jupiter Class, 2475 M, 2124 Crew

· Commander Karla Harvoth

· Exec Captain Allain Halloran

Battlestar Nova, Nova Class, 2477 M, 2324, 300 Marines

· Commander Richard Hatch

Battlestar Eternal, Mercury Block 0, 1794 M, 2500 Crew

· Commander Aileen Tajalle

· Exec Major Thomas Parker

Battlestar Celestial, Odin Class, 700 M

· Commander Tyler

· Exec Colonel Haskel

Battlestar Aries, Ares Class (oldest class – pre Cylon War) 1267 M, 2446 crew (2136 Colonial, 310 Cylon) Advanced Computers compared to all new Battlestars

· Commander James Ryan III

· Exec Maj Stacie Percivel

_Battlestar Cygus, currently too damaged for use. TBA. Battlestar class still unassigned in story. Mercury is strong possibility._

_Battlestar Themis, currently too damaged for use. TBA. Battlestar class still unassigned in story. Mercury or Odin/Valkyrie_

Gunstars

Gunstar Spirit, Guardian class, 500 Crew

Gunstar Vigilant, Guardian class, 500 crew

Gunstar Katana, Hermes Class, 900 crew (500 M)

Gunstar Sabre, Hermes Class, 900 Crew (500 M)

Gunstar Titan, 600, 500 M

Gunstar Crossbow, Titan Class, 600, 500 M

Gunstar Sentinal, Titan Class, 600, 500 M

Gunstar Tomahawk, Titan Class, 600, 500 M

Lobo Negro Shipyard, 7511 Crew (974 survived Fall)

Two Conquerer Class Battlecruisers, 1274 M, 1715 Crew (not all present yet)

Warstar Pandora, Flagship of Eastern Alliance, seeking sanctuary, poor approximation of Prometheus, 2100 M, 3500 Crew (when it arrives)

Other Eastern Alliance ships

Other Civilian ships


	4. Flexing Muscles

Lyta was compassionate as the Ranger gave up the information about the Enfili people before passing into whatever afterlife he was due.

She looked at Delenn and nodded. "I got it. He was attacked after hearing the pleas from a people under attack."

Delenn respectfully patted the chest of the now-dead Ranger. "Come. We shall speak to John and make certain his death was not in vain."

Lyta nodded. The two walked to the President's office. After they walked in, Sheridan looked up. He noticed something. "Lyta? Are you okay?"

With that, Lyta lost the stoic look. "Being in a mind at the moment of death … takes something from you. The Human mind sees it as a door opening up – a door that should only be seen by the one dying. This is the second time I've experienced it. Those who have lived through it four or five times are … less. It's soul-damaging."

Delenn looked stricken. "I am sorry, Lyta. I was not aware of the trauma involved."

Lyta looked at Delenn with a tremulous smile. "That's okay. Your Ranger was a brave man, and compassionate. His dyring wish was to help the Enfili."

"Who are the Enfili?" Sheridan asked.

Lyta joined Delenn and Sheridan and explained what she had found. After the details had been given, Lyta went back to rest in her quarters, messaging Garibaldi as to where she was.

* * *

Lyta was reviewing reports with Garibaldi when she was called again. "Lyta. We've decided on a course of action. Please come to my office."

"Yes, Mr. President. Should Mr. Garibaldi come with me?"

There was a pause. "For the briefing. We'll have a meeting afterward that I want you there for by yourself."

"Of course, Mr. President." She turned off the link and looked at Michael. "Let's go."

The upshot of the meeting was that the entire White Star fleet was being sent. "We've sent them to sector 900 as a rendezvous point. We're going to invite the Drazi because the Enfili are, after all, on the edge of their space."

Michael looked at John. "Flexing the muscles of the Alliance a bit?"

Sheridan looked at him. "Yes. You object?"

Michael gave a small grin. "Not me. I'm just a civilian consultant and don't have a say. But if you want the truth – I'm all for it. It sends a message right away. Better to do it now and not after the Ambassadors decide that you have no teeth."

Sheridan grinned. "That's why Delenn suggested it and I agreed." He turned. "What do you think, Ms. Alexander, Head of Interstellar Intelligence."

Lyta shrugged. "I don't really like the idea of violence. But since I've taken the job and it includes advice on handling the intelligence we receive, I'm for it too. The truth is that right now the former League worlds are treating the Alliance like an old boy's club. Join and you get special favors. It's time to show them it's really got the strength and the determination to act with moral authority."

Sheridan considered what she said and replied, "You are absolutely right. Well, we're going to see the Drazi Ambassador and invite his government to act in concert."

"Of course, Mister President."

* * *

Susan Ivanova was on Lobo Negro, going over the blueprints as she was briefed on them. "So, we're taking out these exercise areas?" she pointed to several location.

"Yes," the Earth designer in charge of Earth Alliance's part of the project answered. "According to the New Kobol engineers, they will need this one for a control unit," he pointed to the one nearest the engine compartment, "and then these will be locations for generators to up the power of the armaments in addition to making certain that the gravity systems are powered."

"But the crew will still need to exercise, and have some leisure time. You can't be on duty 100 percent of the time."

"That's why these," he pointed to another two areas, "will be modified. Exercise equipment similar to that found on an Omega will replace the zero-G equipment because they take less space. There will be recreation rooms in addition to exercise areas. It will be much closer to what you find on a station like Babylon 5 or on an Omega on a long-range mission

There was a knock on the door. Susan, who had taken over the office while she was in-system, answered, "Yes?" A familiar face walked through the door. "Marcus."

"I'm going to have to cancel our tour of the new Temple construction." In truth, the Temple of Athena would include a compound for Ranger training, which was the real reason for the Rangers to look it over. "My cadre of Ranger trainees have been called in for a mission to protect a world under attack by raiders. They are asking for protection and to join the Alliance. The President has called in every White Star not otherwise on needed patrol. There goes our joint exercises."

Susan nodded. "Well, you have to do what you have to do. How long will it be?"

"A week. Two at the outside."

Susan looked at the plans. "How long to remove these systems to prepare them for gravity systems?"

"Two weeks, at least."

Susan stood. "Well, I'm approving it. My Exec can watch over the operation. In the meantime …" She turned. "Ranger Cole. As the ranking Earthforce officer in the area, would you object to an observer? If I'm there I can give a report to Earth Gov."

Marcus smirked. "You're more than welcome – you know that."

Susan gave him a smile, which set his heart a bit faster, though nothing showed on his face. "Let me alert my Exec and we can be on our way."

* * *

The meeting went as the President expected. Until the Ambassador walked out.

Lyta had a strange expression on her face. Sheridan asked, "What is it?"

"He was angry. No … he was _pissed_."

Sheridan was curious. "What was he angry about?"

She looked him dead in the eye. "He was pissed that the upstart Enfili had the audacity to get outsiders involved. After all, his people have been complicit in the raiders operating against smaller worlds on their borders. Their economy gets a boost and they keep the riff-raff in line."

Sheridan was shocked. "WHAT?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. President. But that is what his mind was shouting, though he tried to hide it knowing I am a telepath. They are not planning on allowing the White Stars to interfere – they will be sent into a trap. As a message. After the Enfili are taken care of and there are no witnesses."

"Damn!" Sheridan said again. "Follow me."

* * *

Byron sat in front of the man who he had been sent to. In the last two weeks, his people had been housed in a newly refurbished part of Athens, the newly named capitol city of New Kobol, named after the Lord of Kobol that died in grief (the information on the Vorlon who took the name was a government and temple secret). The previous residents had left some infrastructure behind and the Kobol humans had been working to get everything up and running.

"I sorry that it take much time," the man said in broken English. Byron was annoyed, though he hid it. It was annoying being spoken to almost as if they were small children. That may not have the intent, but that was the effect.

Byron said, "If it will be easier, I can communicate mind to mind."

The man's face lit up. "Yes. Much easier."

Byron smiled in a friendly manner. "You are in charge of relocation on New Kobol."

"Yes." The man's mind was straightforward and remarkably uncluttered. "I am sorry that it has taken so long. With the extras coming from the Twelve Colonies, we have been working hard to get everyone placed. Between medical treatment, searching for surviving relatives, and registering all new arrivals with the Census Bureau, it has been a lot of work. Have your people completed their registration forms?"

"Yes. We were assisted by Marcus Cole with the translations. We turned them in a week ago."

"Good. Good. Now, you and those with you wish to live together?" the man asked, making notes.

"Yes."

"What skills do your people have?"

Byron shrugged. "It's a diverse list. But we prefer a simple life, away from others. The mental noise of non-telepaths makes it harder." Byron was immediately surprised to feel sympathy rather than annoyance or fear.

"That's got to be tough. So, a simple life. Farming, taking care of animals, things like this?"

"Yes."

"Well," the man said, looking over his papers, "some tribes do prefer that lifestyle. Not that it is required, but we do try to accommodate the preferences for religious and other reasons. There are areas on other continents where we are setting up large farms for food production." The man looked up. "Do your people have preferences as to climate?"

Byron asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, there are areas with warmer and cooler climates. Near the equator, we are planning farms for more tropical fruits. We have areas that are for crops grown where a the seasons are more diverse – things that need a cooler climate for optimum conditions. So we need farmers for northern and southern areas."

Byron asked, "Which is farther from others?"

The man thought about it. "It might be surprising but the hardest areas are the warmer climates. For the colder climates, you have to go farther north to get far enough away. There are some fisheries in the north where people will have to fish through ice – we're still learning the food animals that are on this planet. So we don't know exactly how hard or easy it will be to gather them or to prepare them. We're actually attempting to buy some stock from Earth fisheries for some isolated seas – see if they can live and thrive here. We lost almost all fish during our exodus. And the fish here are strange. So, actually, we're going to be sending a lot of people in these areas, so maybe not the best example for isolated living."

The man sighed. "The truth is, being away from others is fairly easy – we're too small a population to fill up this world and we won't be filling it up any time soon. Most New Kobol people prefer to live around others – we lost too many in the Fall. So a group of people who want to live separately is actually fairly easy to place."

Byron nodded. "I will ask my people for their preference. But we are willing to go wherever we can live in peace. We might have others that will come to find us as well."

The man shrugged. "That is as it is. I'll come up with a few proposals and you can pick the one you want."

Byron replied, "Thank you. Now, a question."

"Yes?"

"What requirements do you have as far as registering?"

The man's confusion came through. "Registering? Didn't you just say you finished the forms last week?"

"No. I mean as telepaths. What rules do you have regarding telepaths? What jobs are we barred from?"

The man replied, "Well, I suppose you can't be nuclear scientists. I assume you're not trained for that." The confusion was still present.

"No. What are the laws which limit what people like me can do? For example, on Earth, telepaths cannot join the military."

The man's confusion abated and Byron was shocked to find actual outrage at the idea. "Any citizen can do any job that they train for. I don't know how it is on Earth, but the only thing we have laws about is intentionally using the ability to harm others or to cheat others. You have to respect the privacy of others and keep what you might find to yourself. Try not to scan any unwillingly.

"But the truth is that people like you are considered to have special connections to the Lords of Kobol. Many temples, especially the Temple of Apollo, might attempt to recruit your people. The Temple of Asclepius would have your people to be trained to help those with mental issues – many people are just now able to truly grieve for their lost love ones and there is much call for Mental Healers in addition to psychologists and psychiatrists."

The man grimaced briefly. "The Temple of Aphrodite might ask if any wish to be trained in the sexual arts – that temple is considered a bit … forward for many tribes but every sect is allowed to operate as their beliefs tell them. Legal prostitution is what many of those from other sects call it – some tribes make it illegal in their areas but can't prevent the Handmaidens or Hands of Aphrodite. There is some truth to what is said."

The man shrugged. "But that's neither here nor there. The Census Bureau would hire you to help scan any Earth Humans who might apply for citizenship or non-Humans or Humans who might apply for residency, to ensure we aren't being infiltrated. The Census and Relocation departments have been warned about it. We've put laws in place and we'll need willing telepaths to do that job. But laws which prevent you from particular jobs? Not that I know of."

Byron was quite surprised at the vastly different attitudes regarding telepaths in the society his people had fled to. His people would be just as surprised when he told them.

* * *

(Some dialogue taken from Babylon 5 E0503 Paragon of Animals)

Sheridan walked into the room. "I'm sorry for getting you all up in the middle of the night, but we thought you should all see this." He looked at the Drazi. "Ambassador. Good. You should more definitely take a look at this. Here." He walked over the main table. "Come on over here."

When most Ambassadors were near, Londo reached out and pushed a button, and a holographic image popped up.

"This is the Enfili homeworld. They have been the subject of attacks by raiders that have decimated their homeworld. Now they have asked for membership in the Alliance, and for protection. We asked the Drazi government to support our action, since the Enfili are the edge of Drazi space. Isn't that right, Ambassador."

The Drazi was looking curiously at the image, his nervousness obvious to those around the table. "Yes, yes. But what are those shapes around Enfili?"

Delenn spoke, "Those are White Stars, Ambassador."

"How many?" he asked.

Londo had a confident tone and gesture as he said, "All of them." He answered with a pleasant smile.

Sheridan spoke to the group. "They've taken out the few raiders who were harassing the population and taken up defensive positions around their planet."

The Drazi was alarmed. "But you said they were to wait at the rendezvous point."

Delenn spoke, "You see, we had information that there might be a larger fleet coming to attack the Enfili homeworld." Her tone was earnest.

The Drazi asked in a tone ragged by effort. "The Raiders you say you ships defeated, do you know if they had a chance to send out a distress signal?"

Londo scoffed. "Oh, no. The ships were shot out of the sky with _great_ efficiency."

Sheridan spoke in a pleased, diplomatic tone. "We have offered your worlds advice, and technology; offered to help coordinate food supplies, and resources. Now we put another of our promises into effect. Your enemy is our enemy. Isn't that right, Ambassador?" he asked the Drazi.

"I … I …" He finally gathered himself.

Delenn cut through his yammering. "That's why we wanted to have you, in particular, here to see your fleet in action."

Sheridan wheedled, "Unless you can think of a reason we shouldn't."

The Drazi gave a fake laugh and shrugged.

Sheridan asked, "Is there something wrong, Ambassador?"

The Drazi stammered, "I need to call my government."

Delenn responded reasonably. "I'm sure it can wait till later. We're in the middle of a council meeting."

G'Kar spoke with a pleasant voice. "Yes. The battle will begin soon. There will be time enough to do so once the battle has been won and we've received the independent confirmation from Captain Ivanova, who is there as an observer."

This terrified the Drazi even further. "No." He protested. "I need to talk to my government. I need to talk to them _now_."

Londo stood. "Why?"

Sheridan asked with a deadly voice, "Is it because those are your ships coming to attack the Enfili? Your ships that have been working with these raiders to exploit and terrorize these people for the last ten years?"

Soon, the truth was out and the Drazi was forced to admit his governments culpability. For Humanitarian reasons, he was allowed to call the ships back. But Sheridan used the incident to overcome their reluctance to sign a declaration of principles.

Except for an incident where G'Kar, a bit manic, collected all of the signed forms and went on a tear to get everyone to sign again, the declaration was now locked in.

* * *

Susan looked at Marcus. "Well, this was a good job. I'll send in my report to Earth Alliance and back to the President and give them my analysis that the military action was defensive only. I hope that EarthGov breathes a little easier."

Marcus chuckled. "I don't know. Isn't making them worry much more fun?" he asked.

Susan smirked. "Yes. But we're trying to make nice; all butterflies and roses and all of that."

Marcus said thoughtfully, "I'll have to tell Delenn that description of the White Star fleet and the Alliance's action."

Susan looked at Marcus. "Don't you dare!"

Marcus laughed.

* * *

The orbit of New Kobol was fairly bristling with Battlestars and Gunstars. There had been an alert that there was a hostile force testing out defenses, apparently in preparation for possible invasion.

All members of the Alliance had been put on notice. The anticipated route was nowhere near the area, but Adama was not willing to take any chances. All Battlestars were at condition two and they had linked up with the Minbari for anything which appeared on hyperspace probes.

All pilots were ready to load as soon as there was any evidence that the invasion fleet was on the way. He was on Pegasus with Lee.

Gaeta called out, "Admiral. Message coming in."

"From?"

"Ambassador Foster on Babylon 5."

"Put her on."

"Admiral. They showed up at Babylon 5. Babylon 5 destroyed the ships in the advance scout without them being able to report back. But they are anticipating the main bulk coming in within hours. Captain Lochley is worried because the White Stars are still too far out on their way back from their previous mission."

"Understood. Thank you, Ambassador. If they're there, I'll stand down here and dispatch Nova and Eternal. Prometheus is back in the Cylon sector and Turner won't be so understanding again of me leaving on Pegasus. Inform Lochley that they'll be there within thirty minutes with Nial fighters and vipers. Commander Hatch on the Nova will be in charge of our forces and answer to her. Remind her that we'll have to stay away from the actual station because we use kinetic weapons only and they won't be able to chance hitting Babylon 5."

"Of course, Admiral. I'll let her know."

* * *

Tory Foster made her way to Blue sector, near the Bridge. She was not authorized but Tory knew that Lochley but had been informed that she had gone to meet Lyta to ask her to get more detail.

Finally, Lochley appeared on her way back to CIC.

"Ambassador. Is there something you need?"

"Admiral Adama asked me to inform you that he has dispatched Battlestars Nova and Eternal. They will be here within another twenty minutes. Both ships have a wing of Minbari Nials on board. I was asked to remind you that the Battlestars and vipers will have to operate at a greater distance because they can't chance hitting the station with kinetic fire."

Lochley felt some relief. "Thank God, or the Gods, as the case may be. I'll deliver my thanks personally – when the crisis has passed."

"Of course."

"Keep yourself safe, Ambassador. Be prepared for evac to safe areas."

"Yes, Captain. We'll speak after the battles."

Lochley rushed back to her post.

* * *

An alert sounded. Lt. Commander Corwin spoke up. "Commander. New contacts. Silhouettes read as 2 New Kobol Battlestars and 3 Gunstars. They are 500,000 kilometers in the direction away from the gate."

"Good." She turned. "Lyta, you're on."

Lyta, who as a military officer of an allied force had been allowed on CIC, went to stand next to Corwin. She had learned the language and there was no guarantee that the OOW on the Nova had learned English yet. "Babylon 5 to Nova. Please respond."

"Babylon 5. This is Nova."

"Captain Lochley gives her thanks for your arrival. Please prepare for tactical orders for placement."

"Acknowledged. Standing by for instructions."

Very soon, the two Battlestars made their closest approach to the station. At that moment, two waves of Minbari fighters flew off of their bays and flew to positions near the station. The Battlestars then moved to position. Once ship stopped above the plane of the exit from hyperspace and one ship stopped to the side. Both presented the side of their ships which had the most guns, ready to fire at ships that came through the gate.

Both ships launched their viper squadrons. Some fighters lined up in position in front of the station, allowing them room to get up to speed as soon as the word was passed that the alien ships were coming. Some lined up near the Battlestars but outside of the field of fire.

The plan was for the two Battlestars to begin firing from their position. It was hoped that the hail of bullets they would send could damage the attackers as they made their way out of hyperspace.

Gunstars Sentinal, Sabre, and Spirit took up positions near the station but deliberately facing away. If there was any chance of hitting the station, they were ordered not to fire.

The starfuries off of Babylon 5 took up positions amongst the Nials and amongst the viper flights in front of the station.

* * *

An alert was sent that the first wave was nearly there. All fighters began moving to ensure they were not sitting still.

Corwin called out, "Here they come!" He sent the signal to the Battlestars.

Almost instantly, the field in front of the jumpgate was filled with a veritable hail of flak and bullets. The invaders, flying out of the gate, were not prepared for it. Adding to their trouble was that, unlike laser and particle beams, there was no tell-tale trace.

Adding to the initial attack, the Gunstars sent their own fire. The ships rushing toward the station, away from the attack, flew right into the Gunstars' field of fire.

However, the invaders were moving very quickly. As soon as the signal was sent and the Gunstars stopped firing, the starfuries, vipers, and Nial fighters began flying toward the smaller invaders. The Gunstars, much faster than Battlestars, moved deliberately toward the capital ships.

The Battlestars were being hard pressed. Unlike the Gunstars and vipers, it was hard to move out of the way from a sitting position.

Therefore, contingency plans had been put in place.

Just as several vipers protecting the Battlestars had been destroyed and three of the large capital ships moved to destroy them, the screen of vipers bugged out toward the battle between the gate and the station and the two Battlestars winked out of existence in front of them.

Instantly, the Battlestars were now hundreds of kilometers further away. Both engaged their engines and were now flying toward the mass of larger ships that were standing off, disgorging additional fighters.

The main turrets of the Battlestars added their firepower to that of the Gunstars. The invading capital ships were soon being picked off one by one.

Nearby the station, two Nial pilots were feeling elation as they destroyed the breaching pod that had nearly made it to the station. Nearly a hundred invaders died without ever leaving the cramped ship.

* * *

Lochley was watching the screens. Corwin called out, "The last fighters have been destroyed."

Lochley breathed a sigh of relief. "Status report."

Corwin called out, "Some damage to the outer hull. Small fire in Red One. Teams have been dispatched to deal with it." He read another item. "Battlestar Nova reports some damage to one of its bays. The Eternal sustained more heavy damage to one of its flight bays." He pushed a button. "Sending fire suppression bots to assist Eternal and to handle Red sector from the outside."

"Good. Fighter status?"

Corwin checked his readouts. "Six starfuries destroyed, five damaged. Ejected pilots are being picked up – we lost three. Four Nials were destroyed – no survivors." He read another report. "Five vipers destroyed, all but one pilot lost. Six vipers damaged. The Gunstars and raptors off of Nova are assisting with retrieval."

Lochley shook her head. "A complete waste in the name of greed. We need to get our pilots and prepare for the next wave."

Corwin replied, "Aye, Captain."

He sent messages along. Soon, he got replies. "Nova moving to retake positions around the jumpgate. One of the Gunstars, Spirit, will take the position of the Eternal. Eternal is moving off to handle damage but can still fire as needed."

"Very well. We've not got much time. Let's get ready."

* * *

The pilots and damaged vipers had been retrieved but that was all there was time for before the next wave arrived.

Having experienced the first wave, the defenders were much better prepared for what came through. But there were still many invaders.

Corwin was acting as directed by Lochley. Suddenly his sensors sounded. "Multiple jump points forming. Over forty of them."

"It's got to be the White Stars." It was.

Very quickly, with the White Stars assisting, the last of the invaders were destroyed with minimal additional losses. Eternal hadn't even needed to defend as it had been ignored.

Quite quickly, cleanup of the battlefield began. The Battlestars, with practice from the Colonies, had experience with this and assisted with the shrapnel from their own weapons. Dead bodies, ship parts, discarded munitions – all had to be removed before they created a problem for the station or for arriving ships.

* * *

Captain Lochley was there when the commanders of the Battlestars and the captains of the Gunstars arrived on station. Also present was the Alyt who was in command of the Nials that were on the Battlestars. Tory Foster was there as well, as was Col. Lyta Alexander.

Lochley stood at attention and saluted the group. Commander Hatch accepted the salute for all of them.

"I wanted to welcome you and to thank you for your assistance. Your intervention likely saved many, many lives during this recent crisis. We are in your debt."

Hatch listened to the translation and then replied, "I was told by Amiral Adama that Babylon 5 was owed a debt by our people. When the Fleet arrived, tired and hungry, they were given succor. With the assistance of Babylon 5 and the Minbari, we now have a new home, safe from our former enemy. Any debt has already been paid."

Lochley nodded. "The President of the Alliance, President Sheridan, also sends his compliments. Do your people need any medical or other assistance from us?"

Hatch listened to the translation. "No. Thank you. Those who were injured are being cared for. We only have to ensure that all remains from our people are collected and we will return to New Kobol space. We would like a tour of this place, so that we can tell our people of it. Far too few of ours have had the opportunity."

Lochley nodded after hearing Tory repeat his words in English. "While we clean up the area and recover any remains, Colonel Alexander of the New Kobol military will show you around. I'm certain she can answer any questions. I would speak to you before you return to your ships."

Hatch nodded. Lyta then took over and showed the group of New Kobol officers around. They were impressed with the Zoccolo, surprised at down below, and amazed at the sheer number of aliens and humans living and working together.

When they were ready to leave, the group were taken to the Council chambers and introduced to the members of the Advisory Board for the Interstellar Alliance. Captain Lochley had also penned a letter of thanks for their assistance and another for the Minbari Warrior Caste who had been flying the Nials. The Commander and the Alyt each accepted the letters to pass on to their superiors.

As was now standard procedure, the Colonial jumpdrive would only be used outside of New Kobol space when required for emergency situations, as their arrival to Babylon 5 had been due to the invasion. Therefore, soon after the Kobolians return to their ships, everything had been secured and the task force left for New Kobol through the hyperspace jumpgate.


	5. Terra and Earth

Commander Karla Harvoth looked at the dradis console. "So, it's all been quiet."

"Yes, Commander," Captain Allain Halloran replied. Nothing and no one had showed up during their current picket mission.

At various times, they had refugees from the Eastern Alliance, fleeing the government. At other times, they had run into Cylons. Strangely, sometimes the Battlestars appearing had stood off and then jumped away without attacking. Other times, the Battlestars attacked without let.

The Nials on board had seen a bit of battle – through sheer happenstance, their stealth methods made it hard for Cylon raiders to target them. As a result, there had been no losses though there had been damage. Two Nials were currently unable to fly, thought the pilots were fine.

"Status of the Aries?" she asked.

"Aries is scouting closer to Terra."

"Have we any reports on the wireless attacks?"

"Last they checked in, the Minbari algorithms were still successful at keeping out intrusion. Cylons appear to have no basis for understanding the language and the short attack times prevent them from brute force decryption."

"So I assume that they are still changing schemas every day."

"So the raptor checking in said."

"Good."

Harvoth sighed. "I just wished that the Eastern Alliance would have listened to our warnings."

Halloran shrugged. "To them, we're the enemy. Copernicus Colony took in their dissidents. They had taken the Prometheus and we only got it back after sacrificing quite a lot of our people and theirs. I'd be surprised if they even told their people of our warnings."

"Not likely." She turned to her Exec. "Well, then I am prepared to relieve you."

"I am relieved, Commander. See you in twelve hours."

Harvoth started running through the standard routines of running a Battlestar. The OOW was prepared with all reports and shipboard operations were running smoothly.

* * *

Mid-watch, that changed.

An alert sounded. "New contact on dradis!"

"Identify!" she barked out.

After a moment the OOW called out. "Reads as Colonial raptor. It's calling."

"Put it on speaker."

"Prometheus, this is Raptor 294 off of Battlestar Aries. Please respond."

"Raptor 294, this is Prometheus. Go ahead."

"I was sent back by the Aries. The Cylons have broken through Terra's defense perimeter. They are suffering the same attacks that the Colonies experienced. They have ordered evacuation but don't have the ships. Aries is trying to defend alongside the Warstar Pandora. But they are being slaughtered. Aries will be sending them to Copernicus. But they could use additional transport."

"Acknowledged. Land on Prometheus. Send coordinates – we will prepare a Gunstar and we will jump. They can hold a few hundred each in a pinch."

"Acknowledged. Preparing approach."

"Understood Raptor 294."

* * *

Very soon, the Prometheus was powering up her jumpdrive along with the Titan.

Vigilant was staying behind to receive refugees and then send them on to the coordinates near the hyperspace gate but far enough that any Cylons who might get through would not be able to find it. The refueling ship that had been brought was prepared to refuel ships with tylium as needed.

"Jump!" Commander Harvoth gave the command.

The Battletstar arrived in near proximity to Terra. Immediately, there were a number of ships on dradis. Many were fighting.

What shocked Harvoth was that there appeared to be two basestars _protecting_ the planet. Raiders were fighting against each other. The Aries seemed to be standing back, protecting several ships that were taking off from the surface of the planet. If any Cylon raider came near, it was targeted immediately and destroyed.

"Prometheus to Aries. Come in."

"Prometheus. This is Aries. Thank the Lords of Kobol. We've got refugees we're getting out."

"What is the situation with the basestars?"

"They're in a damn civil war. Even as the attack against Terra began, several basestars arrived and began fighting those invading."

"Status of refugee ships?"

"Every ship that can jump has been used to load up survivors – they've lost a lot of people. Even in the midst of the attack, the Central government was insistent upon treating us as the enemy as well. Finally, the Eastern Alliance Fleet stopped taking orders from them and began moving out. My raptor got through I take it?"

"Yes. I've left a Gunstar and the refueling ship at Copernicus."

"That's good. Ships from Terra are jumping to a fallback position they've set up. They will jump ship by ship to the coordinates for Copernicus. They finally accepted the information on infiltration models and will ensure that any are detained or killed first. I expect them to start arriving at Copernicus soon."

"Understood. Where are we needed?"

"Titan needs to take on survivors. I'll send the coordinates for their fall back – they need to thin out the numbers on the ships already sent. I would request that you help protect ships that are leaving."

"Understood. That's what we'll do. We'll keep this channel open for coordination."

"Acknowledged. We'll be here."

* * *

Prometheus had soon joined Aries in protecting fleeing ships. As each ship hit the upper levels of atmosphere, it jumped away. Jumping to a planet was much more precise than jumping away.

There were several smaller Eastern Alliance ships which attacked the Cylons directly. Other military ships had abandoned fighting in exchange for carrying off civilians.

"Commander! Another Basestar has arrived and outflanked the two defending! They are sending raiders this way!"

"Launch Nials. Alert all refugee ships that they will need to jump as soon as possible."

"Launching Nials, Aye!" He then got on the comm and spread the alert.

"Prepare ships for broadside firing. Alert Nials and vipers so that they can stay out of our firing solutions!"

"Alerting all fighters, Aye!"

"How far away is the Basestar from firing range?"

"100 kilometers from firing range." …. "90." …. "80."

"At 10 kilometers, signal all fighters to make combat landings. Prepare to fire all batteries and main guns to give our pilots cover."

"Aye, Sir."

As soon as the Basestar hit the right point, the signal was sent and all vipers and Nials began disengaging. The Gunstars that had filled with survivors had then returned to help. They too provided cover fire for the returning Nials and vipers.

By the time the two Battlestars let go of their fire, the bays were being filled.

"Missiles inbound!" the OOW called. "Firing countermeasures!" Flak, smaller than missiles and larger than the regular munitions, fired in the cone of fire. Its purpose was to take care of missiles particularly.

Regardless of the countermeasures, two missiles got through. Neither was nuclear ordinance, but both were damaging. The Prometheus shook under the fire.

"All fighters onboard! Aries is reporting ready to jump!"

Harvoth knew that there could be more survivors – but nothing could be done about that.

"Signal the others and jump!"

"Jumping, Aye!"

* * *

The two Battlestars and the two Gunstars jumped to the collection point.

"Dradis shows no Cylons. Civilian and military ships only."

"Good. Alert all ships that evacuation must be quick. Vigilant, I am certain, would like us back to Copernicus ASAP."

"Aye, Sir."

Soon, almost all ships had been checked for infiltrators and been sent off. The Gunstar holding them had seven of them in a special brig that had been installed. It had been isolated by creating a Faraday cage around it – no transmissions would be sent out and if any tried to kill themselves, it was hoped that the cage would interfere with them resurrecting. Athena had been uncertain but had posited that it might be effective.

No transmission would be sent from there if the New Kobol Marines and Fleet could prevent it.

Finally, the area was clear and Prometheus, along with Titan, were finally prepared to jump.

The space was clear for just thirty seconds before a Basestar appeared in the designated system.

* * *

"Vigilant. This is Prometheus."

"Prometheus, this is Vigilant."

"What is going on? Why haven't they all been sent on?"

"The Eastern Alliance commander in charge of the refugees wanted to wait until all ships had arrived. They felt safer waiting here."

Harvoth sighed. "Understood. Status of the ships present?"

"Refueling is being handled. Most ships have enough fuel, only a few of them are near empty. Aries has already agreed to refuel some from her reserve so as to speed up the operations. Refueling will be complete in twenty minutes."

"Acknowledged. We're going to fly a cap until all ships are ready. Keep us updated."

"Understood, Prometheus. Vigilant, out."

Prometheus got all vipers that were ready sent out. Those that needed servicing were being retrieved. Several Nial fighters also helped fly the patrol.

"Warstar Pandora. This is Battlestar Prometheus. Please respond."

"Prometheus, this is Pandora. Go ahead."

"This is Prometheus Actual. I need to speak to Pandora Actual."

"Stand by." Very soon another voice came on. "Prometheus, this is Captain Stetson, acting commander of Warstar Pandora."

"Captain Stetson. This is Commander Karla Harvoth, commanding Battlestar Prometheus."

"I thought Turner was commanding Prometheus."

"He was – until he was promoted to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs for the New Kobol military."

"New Kobol?"

"Yes. The place your people are being taken. As I am the senior Commander of the New Kobol military present, this operation is under my command. All ships will answer to our lead. I hope that there will be no problem with this?"

There was a pause. "Understood. Our military commander was killed. And though there might be higher ranked people, I am commanding the flagship of the Eastern Alliance fleet. All will follow my lead. I will follow yours."

"Good. Is there any sense of how many survivors were able to be saved?"

"Too few."

"Understood. But a number …?"

"I am guessing 30,000. There might be more or less. The surviving ships decided that the civilians needed more saving than the idiots who refused to act. So our military is decimated. We didn't even try to save the leaders. Besides, the capital was the first area destroyed. We concentrated on the outer areas that had more people."

"Good. We've got a place that is safely outside of Cylon-controlled space. We will be utterly safe from them. We also have allies. Have you, perhaps, seen the oddly shaped fighters that are flying patrol?"

"Yes. I wanted to ask …"

"They are Minbari – an Alien species. They are the people who provided a homeworld. We already have dissidents from Terra living on New Kobol. All refugees will be recognized as citizens. But your old form of government? Gone. That's the situation as it is."

There was a long pause and then, "That's okay. Most of us never really _liked_ the government. We didn't have much of a choice. You followed to rules or were shot."

"Well, you'll all be voting citizens where we are going. But we are responsible for the safety of New Kobol. And so I expect your ships to follow all directions. Or they will be destroyed. Is that understood?"

"Understood."

"Good. Have all ships been given the coordinates for where we are jumping?"

"No. One of the captains who took charge wanted to wait until we were all here."

"Very well. I expect you to make an announcement as the acting commander of the flagship. And then prepare them for my announcement as commander of the Flagship of New Kobol."

"I will do so, Commander."

"Acknowledged. Standing by for your speech."

The captain was a good as his word. He alerted all ships that they answered to Prometheus. And told them that as of that moment, the Eastern Alliance was no more. He explained that all survivors would be free citizens of the home they were being led to and promised that the military, as it was, would be disbanded and reformed according to the rules of the world they were going to.

There was a fair bit of cheering as no one really liked the leadership of the Eastern Alliance.

Harvoth got on the line and explained something of where they were going. The fleet was warned that the traveling method was strange but that all pilots would have to endure the chaos of hyperspace for just a day once they arrived.

New Kobol pilots tended to dislike the experience but had benefited from the experience of the Minbari and the Humans of Earth.

Soon, all ship had jumped out, making their way – at the pace of the slowest ships – to the entrance to the hyperspace gate system.

Turner was going to be shocked when she called in her report, as would President Grazier.

* * *

Byron was living happily with his fellow telepaths at a farming community a bit north of the majority of New Kobol residents. He had, with the approval of the New Kobol government, sent messages to other telepaths that his people had finally found refuge.

He was officially elected the mayor of the small farming town. There were some non-telepaths, but most residents were his people.

He was sitting at his dinner when he felt a call from one of his people who manned the call center at night. He immediately went over to the comm panel and accepted the forwarded call. "Admiral Turner. How may I help you?"

"Mr. Gordon. I just received word from the Prometheus. Despite efforts to convince them otherwise, the Cylons have bombed Terra, the capital of the Eastern Alliance, a government near our former homeworld of Copernicus. The survivors are being brought here. They have several prisoners who have to be evaluated and pass a telepathic scan. Do you have two people that are trained and which can be sent? You are free to decline, though it would make my job harder."

Byron considered it. He had been told that this service would be asked for. "Yes. When do they need to arrive?"

"We're still making plans on where we are going to land them. It's about thirty thousand people. We may land them at Thebes, the newly designated administrative capitol for the second continent, Laconia. We've been preparing it and it could house the arrivals better. Athens on Attica is not prepared for so many new arrivals, though the infrastructure for processing incoming survivors is here.

"Either the prisoners will be brought to Athens or be sent with the others to Thebes. I will have the information within ten hours and can dispatch a raptor to bring them when we have decided. They won't be landing immediately. There will likely be a delay of at least 25 hours and likely closer to 49." New Kobol had a 24 and a half hour day – work was in progress on devising a unified time system that was not too outlandish.

"That would be helpful. I assume you will be taking care of the needs of those we send?" he asked.

"Yes. We'll make certain your people are fed and housed. They will be paid a per diem and a standard amount for each scan. The exact amount is not set, but it will be significant."

"Have the funds forwarded to the account for our farming settlement."

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that. Your people can do that, but funds must be disbursed to a person. A person is worthy of his or her wage. What someone does with that wage is for them to decide. I know you're used to a communal lifestyle, but our laws prevent the government from paying to a group – unless you form a corporation and make them employees, which I believe is counterproductive to your intentions of keeping your people from being controlled by others. But that is neither here nor there. Regardless, they will bring back their wages with them or at least a record of the monies being deposited in the account of their choice."

"I understand. A matter to be decided. But I will ensure they know to expect direct payment."

"Good. I will call back in 12 hours or so as to exact details. Thank you, and thank your people. This is much easier with the help."

"Of course. I will expect your call. Goodbye." Byron looked at the now empty screen.

Byron still marveled at the dichotomy of the Earth attitude toward people like him and that of New Kobol. As a telepath, he knew that the New Kobol humans had just as many faults, and perhaps a few more. The New Kobol Humans were provincial and were fixated on religion to a degree that was unpleasant, even the atheists. The average person was also far more militant and prone to violence – the Cylon war had taught them this.

The average Colonial survivor also was pragmatically opportunistic. Byron, who had been around quite a number recently, knew what the Colonials were unwilling to confront about themselves: The continuous trauma of running had pushed them to the very edge of their humanity. They had been a starving, desperate people and it was only chance, running into one of the Minbari ships commanded by a Human from Earth, which had staved off that route.

His people had benefited from this. New Kobol's enlightened handling of telepaths was not because they liked telepaths, although they didn't dislike them or mistrust them to the degree the average Earth Human did. Somewhat subconsciously, the New Kobol survivors had pushed forward the best versions of themselves to deliberately move away from base impulses that they had nearly succumbed to. At the_critical _moment, they had latched onto the telepath issue in a way that they never would have under normal circumstances. William Adama, the man who had led the survivors from the Twelve Colonies had helped define the policies that were in use and he had consulted Lyta Alexander, the first Earth-born telepath he had run into.

At some point in the future, the telepath issue might become a problem. But for now, it was a better immediate situation than Byron had ever dreamed of for his people. The conversation he had just had was telling: The Commander of all Military forces had called and _requested_ assistance. There was no demand. There was no negotiation based on "debts of the past." He remembered Michael Garibaldi's visions for such and even President Sheridan had the idea of using his people to eventually counter Psi Corps.

The New Kobol government, by contrast, had _requested_ and then made clear that services would be fairly recompensed. It was not optimum. But it was as close to it as it could ever likely be.

* * *

Alfred Bester, Senior Psi Cop for Psi Corps, sat in front of the comm panel in his office. The expected face popped up. "Captain Lochley. So good to speak to you again."

"Mr. Bester. It's been a while." Lochley was a pleasant change from Ivanova at Babylon 5. He had helped save a couple of Lochley's people in the past and, unlike Sheridan and Ivanova, she remembered those who had helped her. "What can I do for you?"

"I was calling to make an inquiry. We have received intelligence that a former member of Psi Corp and his followers made their way through Babylon 5 recently. I was calling to request information."

"You're speaking of Byron and his followers?" she asked.

Bester gave a small smile of relief. "Yes. Exactly. Do your people have any record of where they went after leaving Babylon 5?"

"Yes. I know exactly where they went."

"Where, if I may ask?"

"They were given residence on New Kobol. The survivors of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol negotiated a planet for their people and for those coming from … Copernicus I believe their other world was called. As far as I know, they are still there."

Bester was a bit frustrated though he carefully hid it. New Kobol was not controlled by Earth Alliance. "I see. And do you know whom I could contact in their government as regards a matter of importance to Earthgov and the Psi Corps?"

"You could make a formal inquiry to their Ambassador here, Tory Foster. She is currently, from my understanding, their only Ambassador to foreign governments."

Bester nodded. "And if I wanted to go directly to their world?"

Lochley paused. "I honestly don't know what kind of reception you would get. They are still recovering from their flight from their old worlds. They have not been sending their people out or accepting visitors yet except those who they are buying supplies from."

"Of course. Well, I will talk to my superiors about contacting their Ambassador." He smiled at her. "_Thank_ you, Captain Lochley. You have been of great assistance."

She smiled and replied, "Just doing my job, Mr. Bester. Babylon 5, Out." The link cut.

* * *

Tory Foster was in her quarters on Babylon 5 as she reviewed the initial report sent from New Kobol regarding the new refugees. She sighed. She had reconciled within her own mind her status as a Humanform Cylon. She utterly detested the Cylon collective which had destroyed the Twelve Colonies and, now, Terra.

In her mind, there had to be a better way.

Her comm panel sounded an alert. She put aside the report and looked over. "Computer. Accept call." The chime sounded and a pleasant, older face was on the screen. "Hello? This is Tory Foster. How can I help you?"

The man replied, "Yes. Hello. My name is Brother Theo. I am the head of the Trappist Order, a religious order sanctioned by the Vatican on Earth."

She thought back. "Ah, yes. I was told about you. Admiral Adama placed a woman in your custody, Gina Inviere?"

"Yes. That is exactly right. As you may not be aware, she has spent time with our order, recovering from her experiences at the hands of her captors and learning. She had made much progress."

"While I am pleased to hear this, what is the matter you are calling me about?"

"Yes. Well. Sister Gina has fully embraced our ways and has expressed a desire to make a pilgrimage to our Holy City, the seat of the Pope and center of Catholicism. However, there is an issue."

"Travel papers."

"Yes. Though she has been living with us, she has no official status. I would have her protected from any who might take advantage. She came to us from your people. And, according to the inquiries I have made, your people have included those of her nature as citizens. As such, I wish to ensure she had proper identification so that she can be registered as an Alien visitor as she attempts to make her pilgrimage."

Tory considered that for a long moment. "You don't necessarily trust EarthGov to do the right thing."

Theo sighed. "EarthGov is a secular institution. I fear that if I attempted to arrange identification through any Earth government, they might see it as an opportunity to take her into custody and to study her. I do not know if she could legally be considered a person – Earth Alliance law might not recognize her sentience if it did not benefit them to do so. Such is the way of those who eschew God in their lives."

Tory nodded. "I will make inquiries to my government. I do know that she can claim her citizenship but she might be required to visit New Kobol to do so. I am also aware that we have not yet entered into formal treaty with Earth Alliance to formalize relations. Many of our citizens wish to visit Athens on Earth and to see the Temples and the place our ancestors came from. However, we are not quite ready to allow Earth visitors yet, and so we haven't been rushing."

"Of course. I do believe that your recognition by the Interstellar Alliance should smooth the way. It does not truly matter if Earth and New Kobol have a formal relationship. According to the published Declaration of Principles for the Alliance, of which Earth is a member, Religious toleration is a guaranteed right. I see no reason why your people cannot take advantage of this. Just ensure that such request for visitation rights are called what they are: Religious pilgrimage. Muslims are all required to journey to Mecca at least once in their lives. There are people of our own faith and the Jewish faith who also take pilgrimages to Jerusalem and other historic sites. There are Human colonies which are not a part of Earth Alliance where potential pilgrims live. The combined religions of the world ensured that lax requirements for such visits were included in Earth Alliance law. Please take down the following references for the appropriate Earth laws." When she was ready, he named them all.

Tory Foster smiled. "Thank you. I will speak to President Sheridan to ensure that our identification methods are registered. That will make it easier when I contact New Kobol about Ms. Inviere. A possible resolution for the question of pilgrimages will be quite good news."

"Good. We will contact you in a week to help make arrangements for Sister Gina to visit New Kobol for the purposes of ensuring she has the proper papers. God be with you."

"And may the Lords of Kobol smile upon you." The link cut out.


	6. Contemplating the Future

The Eastern Alliance refugees were landed, two days after they arrived at New Kobol, at Thebes on the Laconia continent. President Grazier had arranged for the Integration Unit to operate there.

Besides ensuring that all new arrivals were identified and given vaccinations, a record of all skills, educational awards, and military service history had to be completed.

Timon Svenson noted that the next clerk was free. He walked over and handed over his registration forms. The man looked it over and had a noticeable wince.

"What is it?" Timon asked.

The man sighed. "I'm sorry. It was a personal reaction – not relevant to this process." Timon waited patiently. "Very well, you asked." The man looked directly in Timon's eyes as he said, "I spent some time at the Stemphill reeducation center. And not as one of the guards or 'educators' either."

It was Timon's turn to wince. "I am sorry. While I was a soldier there, I never agreed with the government's stance toward the Western Alliance captives. I apologize for whatever I might have done to help those who acted against you."

The clerk sighed. "It's history now. Eastern Alliance, Western Alliance – it's all part of a life that has no meaning anymore." The clerk said, "My name is Damon Prosoan." He stood up and presented his hand. "Welcome to New Kobol, Timon Svenson."

Timon shook the man's hand. "Thank you, Damon Prosoan. I am happy to be here and look forward to a future free of former prejudices."

The two men, formerly enemies on Terra, worked together to help Timon find his new place in life. At the end, both felt much better about a past that had included much pain.

Virgil Sidero, originally of Leonid, watched in the background as his employee dealt with a personal reaction. Virgil knew that many refugees now coming in had lived in a society much closer to the feuding state that the twelve colonies had existed in before they united because of the Cylon threat.

Many of the refugees from Terra that had already been on New Kobol were either part of the former Western Alliance (already destroyed by the Cylons) or had been defectors from the Eastern Alliance on Terra. The new refugees, however, were all former citizens of the Eastern Alliance. An Earthforce officer had called the Eastern Alliance a semi-fascist state when it had been explained to the man.

All Virgil knew was that holding on to the resentments and status markers of the past was a recipe for pain and heartache. They had no room for that on New Kobol. All residents had been refugees of one type or another.

As such, it was heartening to see the two people he watched deliberately let go of the intolerances and disagreements of the past. It gave him a little bit of hope that eventually all would work out.

* * *

Admiral Turner sat down with Admiral Adama regarding the plethora of new ships they had to deal with. Starting with the obvious.

"What should we do about the Warstar Pandora?" Turner asked Adama.

Adama looked at his immediate superior. "Well, compared to a Battlestar, she's a cheap ripoff. A bit more powerful than a Gunstar, but not much. We're going to have to eventually replace every ship we have, but I can see a use for her patrolling the system."

Turner sat back and considered. "I can see that. To be blunt, we've got a fleet that too large for a single planet. But we're going to be opening up mining operations soon. Having a warship on hand for protection would be useful. The other Warstars, the ones made before Terra got a hold of Prometheus, are pretty much good for scrap. But the Pandora … I think we'll want to keep her operational."

Adama nodded. "Are we still planning on escorts for shipping convoys?"

"Yes." Turner looked through the papers on his desk and found the one he was looking for. "I have the afteraction reports from the encounter with the Drak. Bands of raiders we could deal with fairly easily. But these Drak – nothing but our main guns were effective against their ships. We need to seriously consider retrofitting ships with plasma and laser based weapons."

Adama considered that. "Could we upgrade the ships we have with more reactors for additional power? Do we have the specs?"

Turner replied, "Yes. Truthfully, our nuclear weapons were good for fights with the Cylons, but compared to what's considered a threat out here – our missiles were toys. Earth and the other Aliens who developed them are used to warheads which are many times stronger than what we use."

"We were also careful to make certain that the weapons we used weren't big enough to poison a whole planet if they were used. In our inter-colony wars of the past, those attacking were also planning on making use of what was conquered. We weren't fighting huge space battles or really fighting wars of extermination until the Cylons became a problem."

"True. Hence the unusual size of the bombs which took out the Colonies and Terra."

"Right. We hadn't conceived of making munitions that strong because we never tried to destroy ecosystems. Did you read the reports on the end of the Shadow War?" Turner asked Adama.

"No. I knew about the war, of course, but we never got details. We had our own situation to worry about."

Turner nodded. "Sheridan mined a few asteroids around Coriana 6. Planet-buster sized bombs. And that was just to get the attention of the Vorlons and Shadows. From what I've read, those two would have likely ignored bombs the size that we normally stock."

Adama sighed. "We're going to have to up our destructive capabilities. And fast." He looked at Turner. "What about what we got from Earth for our upgrades to the Hyperion and Nova ships that we agreed to upgrade."

"We got the designs for interceptor-type emplacements that wouldn't be hard to add to our existing ships or to replace some of the gun emplacements we already have. We would likely be less effective against Cylon raiders but more effective against just about anyone else."

"Because Cylons send hundreds of raiders rather than fight ship to ship usually."

"Because we Colonial humans favor fighter battles compared to ship to ship battles. The Cylons learned warfare from us, after all. Have you looked at the Hyperion that's docked here?"

"No. It's an Earth ship and I've been more concerned with my own fleet."

Turner looked at Adama and said with some asperity. "It's a glorified _Gunstar_."

Adama's eyes widened. "A Gunstar?"

"Yes. They call it a Heavy Cruiser, but it carries six fighters. Six!" Turner shook his head. "How can a you call a ship with six fighters a heavy cruiser? You know their main ships? The Omegas?"

"Yes. We had one helping to protect us at the Septis system once we made it out of the Cylon Sector."

"They've got two squadrons. A squadron is ten fighters."

"Ten per squadron? So an Omega can carry twenty fighters?"

"Yes. That's their main ship. The Galactica, filled up, can field 80 fighters. The Pegasus can field 160 vipers and 40 raptors. Cylon basestars can fly hundreds of raiders each. Can you imagine flying a ship that could only field twenty fighters?"

Adama chuckled. "No."

"The Minbari and the other races are the same. The Minbari's capital ship can fly fifteen fighters. The Nova class from Earthforce, the other type we're going to be trying to upgrade, can fly three eight-fighter squadrons. The Narn large ships can field some. The Centauri capital ships can field a similar amount. Almost all races in this part of the galaxy are used to ship to ship battles with fighters only used to protect from flank and aft attack. You know what kind of ships have the largest fighter wings? Pirates and raiders. Honestly, it's inconceivable how few fighters most races use."

Adama asked, "But they use energy weapons. We use bullets. How many fighters could we field if we were using fusion reactors on vipers rather than regular engines? How much bigger would our vipers have to be?" Adama was thoughtful. "So the question becomes: Can a tyllium generator generate enough power for energy weapons?"

Turner answered the best he could. "Well, most races use deuterium fusion reactors – deuterium and Helium 3. They have about a quarter again more power than a tylium reactor – or so our planning division is telling us. But the reactors are pretty big by comparison. Their engines are more powerful, ours are much smaller. Our fighters are 9 meters long or so. The smallest fighter fielded by the other races, according to the Earth database we were given, the shortest fighters are 15 meters or longer. And most are twice as long or longer. Starfuries are three times longer. And a lot of that is due to the size of the engine."

"So can we make a more powerful engine or use two of them to generate enough power for energy-based weapons?"

"That's the question. We've had the project with the Narns concentrating on building their ships because we didn't have a final decision yet. Our jump drives need tylium – no one wants to try to redesign it to use deuterium. Tylium becomes inert when exposed to radiation and deuterium is radioactive. Hence the massive shielding that most engines have in this part of space. When tylium explodes – no fallout. But the only tylium ore we've found so far was at Septis."

Adama nodded. "We had to leave that off when we moved here. Earth's civil war made it unsafe to leave our mining operation there."

"But Earth's civil war is over. We really should send them back and to finish mining out the material we found there."

Adama considered that. "We could do that. That can be what we use the Warstars which aren't scrapped for: Protecting mining operations outside of New Kobol space."

Turner looked at Adama for a long moment. "That might be exactly what we can do with them." Turner got up went behind his desk. He pulled a large map down."

"What's that?" Adama asked as he got up as well.

"A two-dimensional map of known space in this sector. What areas are Drazi, what areas are Earth … it's not as clear as a three-dimensional map but it should give enough details for what I need."

Adama looked at the map. "I saw a three-dimensional holographic map when we ran into the White Stars originally. Why are we looking at this one?"

Turner looked at the map. "Because, I noticed something using this one. This map," he motioned toward the map, "also includes a rough idea of hyperspace routes. These lines and shadings give you an idea of different areas controlled by different governments."

Adama peered at the map for a long time and then said, "Okay. I can see that. What of it?"

Turner pulled down another map of the same sector. "What difference do you see between the two maps?"

Adama looked back and forth between the two. "Well, the thing that jumps out at me is that there are a lot more stars in the galaxy than those marked on the political map."

Turner turned with a tight smile. "Exactly. What does that tell you?"

Adama considered that for a long moment. "There are a lot of worlds that can't support life?"

Turner chuckled as he sat down, motioning Adama to do the same. "While I am certain that this is true, what it tells me is that the races seem to be limited to the places that have jump gates. I asked Captain Ivanova about that. She told me that mapping hyperspace is a tricky and dangerous task. Just because a star is close by doesn't mean it's accessible. The truth is the Hyperspace network is, on the whole, the legacy of some race in the distant path making jump gates. They are referred to by most races as the Gate Builders, though no one knows who they actually were. Whenever one of Earth's Explorer ships finds a new star system, it makes a gate to that system. Earth is trying to find new places to mine for Quantium-40 and other material. That's the whole reason for the Explorer ship program. But that puts us in a pretty unique circumstance."

Adama considered it. "Because we don't need hyperspace gates to navigate to a star which we can measure at a distance."

"Exactly right." Turner was almost gleeful. "I've talked to the President about this. We're going to need to get a whole lot of mining operations going. We need ships, we need miners and, most of all, we need to reach new places which are otherwise inaccessible. We've only found one tylium mine. We need to find more. And we're going to go looking for them in the places where other races can't go."

Adama considered that for a long moment. "But what if we find systems with planets that are inhabited by alien races?"

"Well, that's where our connection to the Interstellar Alliance comes in. If we find races that are unknown, we discretely find out everything we can and report it to them." Turner paused. "Maybe the trick of bringing White Stars in our bays would be useful for that."

Turner shook his head to clear it. "Anyway. The Alliance decides if effort should be made to contact the indigenous people and find out if they want to become a part of the larger Galactic community. If not, they get left alone and the Alliance marks it on a map. If they want to be a part of the wider galaxy, we contract out placing a hyperspace beacon or a gate construction outfit in that system and protect them while a gate is built and tied into the larger network. But, it's likely that we will usually find uninhabited worlds and systems. And that's where we scan for possible places to mine. We can find tylium, Quantium-40, titanium, iron, gold, silver … whatever we need."

Adama nodded. "We're going to need to build a lot of ships."

"That's right. We're going to do it. We just need to consider how most effectively to present it to the Alliance. Because this, much more than our ability to enter a battlefield almost instantly, is quite likely to produce a furor of interest, protest, and exploitation attempts much more contentious than anything else we could possible do. If we aren't careful, it could mean war."

A/N: I was contemplating a pretty huge re-write. I finally looked at a map of space of the Babylon 5 universe. In two dimensions, Sector 80 is NOWHERE near Markab. And is on the other side of known space to where Minbari space, Vorlon space, and, theoretically, where New Kobol is. My time tables on how long it takes from one area to another could be wildly off. Although the narrative I originally had regarding stopping in Narn space on the way to the Markab system actually worked. The mistake that I made was using the time base that was used in the show during the episode that started this whole mess.

Sector 80 or Sector 87, while near Drazi space, would be much too far for a White Star to arrive at in the time required by the episode. An Omega or a White Star, at full burn, takes two days between Babylon 5 and Earth. Minbar is about the same distance. Drazi space would be three days away. Of course, as I opined earlier, it might be faster because there might be a more direct route between Sector 80 and Babylon 5, thereby making a much faster route to fly. Earth might take two days because they don't have a direct route between the two.

That might be why different governments end up controlling certain sectors – direct routes from their homeworld to the colonies in question. Vorlon space is supposed to be vast – but according to the map I've just seen, it's actually kind of tiny.

Finally, I decided that I just don't care. I've decided that the Cylon Sector is "behind" the maps of known space and is, therefore, consistent with the entire story I've told. If Strazynski couldn't be arsed to follow a damn map when telling stories, I can't either.

At least Babylon 5 started out with the idea of trying to keep things realistic. Earth science and ships were originally designed with keeping the rules of physics in mind. Thus the idea of the design of the starfury – less gravity effect when maneuvering.

As one reviewer made sure I knew, according to all info from Battlestar Galactica, Tylium is, by definition, 81% as efficient as deuterium fusion. Helium-3 is what deuterium reactors use as the fusion material. So tylium isn't more powerful.

However, watching the show and looking at the vipers, I noticed that vipers are _much_ smaller. Tylium, in its fuel form, is combustive. When it detonates, it doesn't leave a radioactive residue. Babylon 5 engines seem much bigger than Battlestar Galactica engines. And, in my mind, that's because they are reactor-type engines. If you don't have massive shielding, the pilot would get radiation poisoning for sure.

Tylium can't take radiation, but its reaction doesn't need to be shielded from a pilot in terms of radiation. Only enough shielding to prevent _outside_ radiation is needed. And since the pilot would get the same shielding and the canopies of both starfuries and vipers are quite thin, I posit that the amount of shielding needed is much thinner.

Another reviewer commented that the Battlestar Galactica nuclear weapons are much smaller – almost firecrackers compared to the actual nuclear weapons that we have on Earth. The reviewer objected to the "scanning" by the Omega finding the bomb on Cloud 9. I answered that by clearing up the fact that the Omega was scanning for a bomb construction, not a nuclear source, which an engine could be. It's a cheap answer, but it worked for me.

However, when I was writing the Adama/Turner conversation, I had to explain why Battlestar Galactica nuclear weapons were so small by comparison. I hope I did a good job.

Another reviewer mentioned the Orieni/Centauri war which killed far more than the 20 Billion that were lost on the twelve colonies. So Londo should have protested. This war was mentioned in Babylon 5 games and other things written by Strazynski and so is considered Canon though it's never mentioned.

The League of Non-Aligned worlds was, according to the TV Tropes sight I read, the Abbai trying to form an Alliance of races outside of the Centauri and Orieni because they are tired of getting the shit kicked out of them by galaxy-spanning empires and governments. The Centauri used to effectively control all of the known space and lost most of it in that war. The League was the answer to the retreating Centauri.

Yeah, I don't know. I never got further than the actual show, movies, and the Wiki. However, my answer is this: The massacre was 20 Billion effectively in a day (it actually probably works out to a week as the Cylons mopped up after the fleet ran I'm sure). If that isn't enough of an answer – sorry.

Anyway, it all fall back to: This is just a story. If you see a physics inaccuracy or something that doesn't match up to the shows or to Babylon 5 canon or to facfic tropes that I have used, just suspend disbelief and go for it. Please?


	7. Requests and Meetings

Alfred Bester checked his readings. "We're two hours out."

His fellow Psi Cop replied, "Understood." He looked at the man with him. "Are you certain this is a good idea? These people have no formal treaties with Earth. And from what you reported of your conversation with that former Vorlon attaché, they don't agree with having a Psi Corp-type organization."

Bester was calm as he replied, "We won't know unless we formally ask. Besides, they are Mundanes. The very idea that they truly care for Telepaths among their population is ludicrous. We have a warrant for Byron Gordon. He was a member of the Black Omega squadron and he left. Desertion is a crime. These people have strong Military leanings. I'm sure they have no more love of deserters than an Earthforce officer would."

"Ah," James Scarnon replied. "But technically, Black Omega _isn't_ military. It's attached to Psi Corp but Earth Alliance law prevents them from being classified as such."

Bester nodded in acknowledgement. "Well, as I said: We present the warrant and request extradition. If they say no, we'll at least get some intelligence. They could say yes. We won't know until we ask."

* * *

Two hours later, they were outside of the jumpgate leading to New Kobol space. "Okay. Here we go."

The Psi Corps shuttle signaled and the jump gate activated. The shuttle slid smoothly through.

Immediately, they saw a number of ships. Each one looked like it was military of some type or another.

Scarnon checked his instuments. "We're being hailed."

"Put it on."

The voice was oddly accented – it was obvious that English was not the main language of whoever spoke. "This is Battlestar Eternal to unknown ship. Identify yourself and state your purpose of arrival."

Bester opened up his mic. "This is Psi Corps Shuttle 243, attached to the Earth Alliance Psi Corps. I have come regarding an individual we have been pursuing. I wish to present the warrants and supporting documents to the local authorities and ask for assistance."

There was a pause. "Psi Corps 243, stand by."

Scarnon asked, "Did you pick that up?"

Bester sighed. "Yes. Instant dislike."

"Specifically when you said Psi Corp."

"Yes. Apparently Ms. Alexander's comments were accurate."

The two waited. "Psi Corps 243, this is Eternal."

"Go ahead."

"A squadron of vipers will escort you to Lobo Negro. You will be allowed to dock and to exit there. Those receiving you will take you to the Homeworld Defense office, where you can present you credentials and papers."

"Thank you."

"Move 200 kilometers away from the gate and wait until contacted."

"Acknowledged."

It took a very short time for the shuttle to be on its way. "Small ships," Bester commented.

"I don't know what kind of engines those things have, but they aren't that big. But they are fast. Did you see how quickly they formed up on us?"

"Yes."

* * *

Byron was in his office when the call came through. "Homeworld Defense on the line," his fellow telepath, who acted as his assistant, told him.

"I guess I'll take it." He went to the panel and activated his terminal. "This is Byron. Go ahead."

"Mayor Gordon." The man on the screen was one he recognized – part of the Relocation Bureau. "I was called by Homeworld Defense for my assistance in reaching you. Two men came to present request for extradition of your person for crimes against the Psi Corp on Earth. Their names are Alfred Bester and James Scarnon, both having identification as Psi Cops from Psi Corps, Earth Alliance."

Byron, who had stilled as soon as the man spoke, answered quietly. "I see. And your response?"

"We've been warned about Psi Corps. Such an organization violates New Kobol law. Regardless of your past, you and your people are now registered citizens of New Kobol." The man was quite definite in his tone. "His request was summarily rejected. He has, however, asked for a hearing."

"I see. What do you need of me?"

"You do have a right to send a representative of attend yourself – if you want to. I find it unlikely that a hearing will provide any response that is different. But according to New Kobol legal precedence, we have to give him the hearing. It will take time to arrange for a hearing and we plan on sending them away with a date for such a hearing to take place. Admiral Adama made a suggestion to me though."

"Which is?" Byron asked.

"He asked me to pass along this message: Your people are safe. You cannot be prevented from leaving if you wish to. But he recommends that it would safer if you stayed home and avoided interstellar travel. We can protect you and your people here, not so much elsewhere."

"There are times I might need to go and meet those who are less trusting who are looking for safety. But if I do so, I will ensure that care is taken to ensure that word does not leak out."

The man shrugged. "It's your life. We certainly wouldn't pass on information. But from what Captain Ivanova of Earthforce told us, Psi Corps doesn't always play by the rules. She was particularly … vocal about her opinion of Alfred Bester."

Byron gave a grim smile. "I have had my own personal troubles with him."

The man grinned a bit. "Well, anyway. I was asked to help call you and inform you. Contact Homeworld Defense when you've decided what you want to do. A date will be decided on shortly. It will be at least a month. So you have time."

"Thank you for the alert." Byron paused. "I have received word of others of my kind who are on their way here. Is there any way I can ensure they are taken care of quickly?"

The man considered for a long moment. "Well, you can send a couple of your people to assist in our department. Honestly, we could truly use the help. We've gotten a few requests for residence and having a telepath on hand would be valuable."

Byron considered that. "I will ask my people if any are willing. I am not opposed. But I would not have them forced."

"Of course not. I'm certain it can't be the easiest thing in the world. I know I wouldn't want to be forced to push into other peoples' minds. Anyway, I'll keep an eye out and I hope to hear from you. You still have the contact information for the Immigration section of the Relocation Bureau?"

"Yes. I know how to contact you if we need to."

"Good. Anyway … how are your people doing anyway? I haven't gotten any word back." The man looked interested.

"For the most part, we are doing well. Some of us are still recovering from past experiences. Some have painful past wounds, mental and physical."

The man looked worried. "Do your people have enough medicines? Do you need a doctor or a counselor to come and help? We've started to send out teams to help survivors dealing with surviving when others didn't. It wouldn't be much trouble." The man checked his computer terminal. "In fact, we have a team scheduled to run through that area soon. There are a few survivors from the Twelve Colonies in that area. They will be there in eight days. Feel free to use their assistance. You've just as much right to receive help as any other citizen."

Byron considered it. "My people are leery – they've had bad experiences in the past with less than ethical doctors." The man looked offended. Byron continued in a calm, soothing voice. "But I will ask them. I will ensure a list of requested medicines are forwarded. To whom should I forward it?"

"That's what the Relocation Bureau is concentrating on until the next load of people show up. We had to have something for them to do now that most living survivors have been retrieved."

"Very well. I will send the information to you. I will also send my peoples' answer regarding sending two of them to assist you."

"Good. Anyway. Have a good day. I hope to hear from you soon. Homeworld Defense, Off." The channel disconnected.

* * *

Tory Foster made her way into the Conference Room, looking for the President of the Alliance. She noticed immediately that there was something wrong. "I'm sorry. Am I interrupting?"

Sheridan looked at the New Kobol Ambassador. "Yes. But it's alright. Certain details that need to be dealt with."

"Is this about the Centauri transport that exploded off the station?"

Sheridan sighed and looked at Delenn, Lochley, and Zak Allen, who were consulting him. He answered. "Yes. We're just deciding what needs to be done regarding our conclusions."

"Anything I need to know about?" she asked.

"No." Sheridan replied with confidence. "It looks like internal Centauri politics. Which can be quite … exciting."

"I see. Well, I can come back. I do need to know who is representing Earth Alliance with the Interstellar Alliance."

Sheridan considered that. "Well … technically, that would be Captain Lochley. According to the Babylon Treaties, in this area Earth is represented as regards diplomatic circumstances by the Commanding Officer of Babylon 5." Sheridan grinned. "Although she's allowed me to handle most aspects as regards diplomatic functions having to do with Babylon 5, by treaty _she_ is Earth's representative." He turned to Captain Lochley. "Honestly, Captain? It's a load off my mind realizing that. I don't need to bend over backward to accommodate them."

Lochley gave Sheridan a half disgusted look, though she masked it. "You're all heart, Mr. President." She turned. "What can I do for you, Ambassador?"

"I need to inform Earth Alliance regarding a matter of concern. Two representatives of Psi Corps arrived at New Kobol to submit a petition for extradition of one of our citizens. The matter needs to be discussed."

Lochley sighed. "I will be available to discuss it about this time tomorrow. By then the immediate situations will be resolved and I'll have time. If it can wait until then …?"

"Of course, Captain. 11:00 hours station time. Should we meet in your office?"

"That's fine."

"Good." She turned to Sheridan. "Mr. President. I also have a matter that need to be discussed with you and the entire Advisory Board. It's not a matter that needs to be brought to the full assembly, but the President of New Kobol has asked me to speak regarding some plans we have been making."

Sheridan looked at Delenn. She shrugged. Sheridan replied, "How about 1:00 tomorrow? By then our part of this circumstance will be decided."

"Good. I will see you all then." Tory turned and left.

* * *

It was near 11:00 and Captain Lochley was waiting for her meeting. Just as 11:00 hit, Tory Foster appeared at her door.

"Right on time, Ambassador. Please come in. Would you like any refreshment?"

Tory smiled. "No, Captain. I am quite alright. I just want to take care of this matter quickly."

Lochley nodded and soon the two women were seated. "So you said that you had a visit."

At the end of the meeting, Lochley was feeling frustrated. She had read the numerous reports that he been left behind regarding Alfred Bester and Babylon 5's interaction with Psi Corps. Her personal experience was positive but she knew that he was considered very unpopular by the President as well as every officer on the station.

Michael Garibaldi, Lyta Alexander's trainer and consultant, had a particular dislike of the man. And if what she had been told was true, he had a point.

Regardless, Psi Corp was operating according to Earth Alliance law. She had just been told, however, that New Kobol considered Telepaths to be a protected minority for both legal and religious reasons. Any Human telepath could make their way to New Kobol space. They had only to request asylum and, if they checked out, it would be granted, along with citizenship.

It was a far cry from Earth Alliance law.

And now she had to find a way to couch this information in such a way as to not cause Earthdome to catch on fire with outrage. She was not looking forward to this.

* * *

Sheridan was sitting in Council Chambers along with Delenn, Londo, and G'Kar. Londo and G'Kar were sniping at each other but it wasn't heated. It was almost friendly. Delenn and Sheridan watched the two with annoyance and amusement in equal measure.

The group all paused when the Ambassador from New Kobol arrived. Sheridan stood up. "Ambassador Foster. Welcome."

"Thank you, Mr. President." She looked at the others. "Ambassadors."

Sheridan motioned to the bank of seats which normally contained the delegates. "Would you like to have a seat?"

Tory looked over and back. "Perhaps in a moment. For the moment, I feel fine standing."

"Okay then. How can we help you?" Sheridan, instead of moving to his seat, leaned against the table in front of the seat he customarily used. Delenn stood nearby. The other two sat in their customary seats.

"Well, two matters. The first is a report as to what we told Captain Lochley to pass on to Earthdome. As you know, New Kobol law is quite different from Earth Alliance regarding the matter of Telepaths."

Sheridan nodded. "That has been made clear to us. It's quite refreshing actually – but that's my political opinion. Personally – my past experiences with Psi Corps makes me nervous about them."

Tory nodded. "I understand. I would like to make a request. For religious reasons, we have a very liberal policy regarding telepathic individuals. Since Babylon 5 is technically an independent state under the authority of the Interstellar Alliance, I ask that you make it clear to Captain Lochley that any Earth telepath who arrives with the stated intention of requesting Asylum to be allowed to contact myself or my people. The New Kobol government will pay for any required medical checkups and ensure they are housed. If necessary, we will house any who arrive on Phoenix until they can be transported to New Kobol to go through the necessary protocols." New Kobol's Phoenix could hold up to a hundred people if it became necessary.

Sheridan nodded. He turned to the others. "Are there any objections to this becoming official policy?"

Delenn looked at the others, who looked agreeable, and then answered, "No. I believe it would be quite acceptable. Earth Telepaths who no longer wish to live under Earth's rules have been a concern for many of the other races. We have hesitated so as not to become embroiled in an internal matter not our own, but many have sympathy. I know I do."

G'Kar chuckled. "It makes it easier that it is labeled a religious imperative for you. Tolerance of religious practices of member states is a guaranteed right."

Tory chuckled herself. "I know. That was why I couched it that way. I have already requested an official ruling from the Council of Temples on New Kobol, made up the High Priests and Priestesses of the various sects. They might each have their own rules, but this is a universally recognized matter. I should have it within a week."

Sheridan nodded. "Good. I will inform Captain Lochley and I look forward to the official notice. Now, you said you had a second matter to speak about."

"Yes." Tory paused and then moved to a seat in the Delegate section. "New Kobol has made decisions as regards our future and we need to coordinate with the Interstellar Alliance."

Delenn was curious. "What coordination is required?" The others looked interested.

She looked at them all. "You are all aware that although most governments claim a particular sector of space, it is nonetheless true that there are many, many systems that are unreachable to most governments by dint of them having no jump gate or recognized Hyperspace paths to them."

Sheridan understood immediately, as did Delenn. G'Kar and Londo took a moment. Londo answered, "Yes. Many never had gates. Some used to. When we ruled much of the galaxy, there was a war with a race called the Orieni. They objected to our refusal to worship their 'Living Gods'. As a rule, while our Empire could count many races as subject, we were never ones to force religious worship. Our religious tolerance was intolerable to them. It was the beginning of our retreat from the many areas now controlled by the League of Non-Aligned Worlds."

Londo chuckled darkly. "In truth, many prospered when _we_ were in charge. And, save the Narn, most races that used to be ruled by the Centauri Empire are fairly tolerant of us now because we did support their right to worship their own gods. When the Centauri/Orieni War forced us to retreat to what is now Centauri space – many, many suffered."

Tory shrugged. "That is neither here nor there, now. We used to live on twelve worlds but the Cylons forced us to flee. We couldn't move back even if the Cylons all disappeared – we no longer have the people. We all have to live in the now."

Londo sighed. "There is some truth to that. It does not serve the interest of peace to glorify our former position. But we _do_ remember."

G'Kar said, with some irritation, "So do _we_."

Londo looked at him and said, "Yes. Well. Not _everyone_ agree that thing were better with our leadership. And that is all I will ever admit to the matter. With that, you will have to be content."

G'Kar gave a tight nod.

"Anyway, many gates were destroyed by the local inhabitants to protect themselves from one side or another, or by the Orieni in order to prevent us from having territory that they could not control either."

Tory asked, "So there might be systems out there with races that used to follow you or these Orieni?"

Londo nodded. "Yes. Once their hyperspace beacons were destroyed, they could no longer be reached. Known space changed with each gate lost. It was a very dark time in history. But at least the Orieni with their slavish worship of their _Living Gods_," Londo's tone of disdain was obvious, "no longer trouble any of us."

Delenn considered Londo's comment for a moment. She looked at him. "Londo? Do you remember incident in the Garden where John was forced to jump due to an explosion created during the … disagreement that Babylon 5 had with one of your warships?"

Londo sighed. "Yes. I remember. Do you want to bring up _all_ of our old mistakes?"

"No. But I have a question. What did you see when Sheridan was brought back to the ground?"

Londo looked at her. He paused for a long moment before answering. "Honestly, I saw _nothing_. I remember almost every other race claimed they saw some godly being but I … I saw nothing."

John looked at Londo with a piercing look. "You didn't see one of your Gods or Divine beings from the tales of your people's past?"

"No." Londo shrugged and then snapped his arms back to his side. "The Drazi, the Narn, even the Humans – they all claimed to see something but I saw _nothing_."

Delenn looked at John. "I never knew that."

Londo was surly as he asked, "What of it?"

Delenn looked at Londo and said, "We know who saved John when he was falling."

"Well, then who was it?" Londo asked.

"It was Kosh. A Vorlon," Delenn answered.

G'Kar asked, "That was Kosh? I saw him as G'Lann!"

Delenn sighed. John volunteered, "The Vorlons, throughout history, created a genetic inheritance in most races so that when they were confronted by the Vorlons, they would be seen as angelic or god-like."

Londo was astonished. "I did not know that. No one ever explained to me."

Delenn sighed. "It is likely that the 'Living Gods' that the Orieni were so fanatic about were the Vorlons. Although we were isolationist at the time and destroyed any who faced us – we did not want to become involved with the wider galaxy as it was not yet time for us – if we had known that this was the matter of contention, it is likely that we would have come in on the side of the Orieni. The Minbari, as a rule, greatly respected the Vorlons."

She looked at Londo. "I am actually surprised that the Centauri were not genetically changed to react this way. I wonder why that is so."

Londo replied. "It doesn't matter anymore. They are gone." He laughed. "While it might be that some in the Royal Court knew that the Orieni were worshipping the Vorlons, it was never widely known." He looked at Sheridan. "I do believe that I have an obligation to tell my people. When they find out that the Vorlons were the 'Living Gods' worshipped by the Orieni and you were the one who forced them to leave … well, you might experience _some_ positive response. It is quite possible you could become a religious icon for the Centauri." Londo was vastly amused. "John Sheridan, God of Revenge, Scourge of the Orieni 'Living Gods'!" Londo laughed long and hard at that.

John rolled his eyes. "I really don't need to be worshipped. I had enough of that when I cam back from Zha'ha'dum."

G'Kar chuckled. "You'll get no sympathy from me. I had to work hard after the war to prevent being forced onto the throne of Narn. I would hate the experience what would happen if I became a _religious_icon for my people – let alone another race." G'Kar did not know but he would experience that in the not-too-distant future. He would look back at his amusement at Sheridan's response and decide he needed to beg for forgiveness for his flippant comment.

Sheridan finally motioned everyone. "This is not something to talk about now." He looked back at Tory Foster who had been watching curiously. "You were saying?"

Tory shook her head to clear it. "Yes. Well. Anyway. As you know _we_ have the means to reach systems that are otherwise inaccessible. We do not have the resources to buy material that is needed to rebuild our civilization. And there are only so many places we could possibly mine in the New Kobol system. And so we have to find places that we can mine that cannot be contested by others.

"However, we also know that many might become resentful if we start becoming a more economically powerful government because we can reach places others can't go. We need to devise a system that might benefit many races. We do not wish to be attacked in order for others to steal what we work for. Also, we need to prepare for possible encounters with races that are otherwise inaccessible. That will be a matter for the Alliance when it comes up."

She looked at all of them. "We need to come up with a plan which will not result in other governments declaring war on us. We do not have the will or the resources to defend against such a threat. And so I have come to you for advice on how we should proceed."

Sheridan, Delenn, Londo, and G'Kar all could recognize the possible threat of what Tory Foster was speaking of. She was absolutely right. It could become a disaster if not handled well.


	8. Seeking Asylum

Susan Ivanova was standing with the head of the project as they looked out at the Hyperion. There were several workers in space suits working on the exposed top portion.

"Why is this step so necessary?" she asked curiously.

The engineer explained. "You can't just put gravity generators and controls in and be done. The truth is that would be quite energy-wasteful. Also, you end up with space debris caught up on the top of the ship. What they are installing are the units which help define the dimensional area covered by the gravity generators. In fact, the systems we are installing actually help overall operations."

"How so?" she asked.

"Well, they not only act as the limit of the gravity well, the inverters actually reverse the gravity well on the outside with the proper settings and setup. It makes it so that objects around the ship are repelled slightly when the ship is underway. That aspect is normally not active when the ship is stopped – it wouldn't do for crew members to have a hard time reaching the skin to perform maintenance. It doesn't do much against missiles fired at the ship, but at one point we had problems with mine fields being used against our ships. Shielded sufficiently, you might not see them until they are attached to your hull and ready to detonate. But the extra push away means that objects drifting can't latch on without a much more significant magnetic pull than the gravity inverters provide as a push. Such a powerful magnetic field, or an engine with sufficient thrust to overcome it, can be picked up on scanners."

Susan considered it. "So a breaching pod would find it harder to attach to the ship when it's underway."

"Yes. During the first Cylon war, we had a problem with Cylons sending raiders to attach to the outer hull. You thought you had gotten away and suddenly you're being attacked by boarders."

"How far out does the field operate?"

"Not far. The gravity field starts dropping off exponentially after only a very short distance. Three meters out, there are no gravitational effects anymore. But a foot out, it will be a negative .9 gravity."

Susan looked at the engineer. "Has anyone ever thought of putting gravity generators right at the outer hull with inverters? If you pumped enough energy for say, 10 gravities, and then inverted it immediately, it could provide a kinetic shield."

The engineer gave a rueful chuckle. "Tried and failed. Far, far too energy intensive. You would have to have extremely powerful generators to do that, and then your own fighters would be affected when they launched from the ship. No. Mucking about with it too much is far too dangerous to shipboard operations."

Susan nodded. "How long before the retrofit is finished? Are we still on schedule?"

The engineer referred to his papers. "We're still planning on having it done and ready for testing in 5 weeks. It might only take 4; it helps that the factory to make the equipment is up and running already. Rather than using salvaged parts, we're now making them to order for each project. The Narn systems are now being pumped out quite quickly. We're also manufacturing replacement systems for Battlestars to fix the damaged sections of our ships. Production for new civilian ships will start in two months."

Susan asked, "How about the systems for the Nova refit? As soon as the Hyperion is underway and the systems are declared at least nominally successful, Earth will be sending the Nova here."

The engineer in charge replied, "That one is more problematic. We received several schematics for EAS Schwartzkopf but somehow – they don't match each other. We're about to send a request for clarification back to Earth Alliance."

Susan sighed. "Don't bother. I know why that is."

"Why?" the man asked.

"There have been three EAS Schwartzkopf Novas. Two were destroyed in the Earth-Minbari War. The original had the hull letter S. The second one was originally the Bradley; hull letter B. The current one used to be called the Johansson; hull letter J. So, just use the schematics for the Schwartzkopf J. That's the correct version."

The engineer made a note to pass back to his team. "That's a very strange thing. Why rename the ships?"

Susan replied, "In Earth Alliance, certain ship names are revered. The Schwartzkopf name is one of them. So when a ship with that name is destroyed, often that name is immediately given to another ship that will eventually be replaced by a later ship. EAS Roanoke, the original, was destroyed saving another ship's crew during an accident in hyperspace. In recognition, EAS Medusa was renamed EAS Roanoke. So until it was destroyed at Babylon 5 during the civil war, the new Roanoke had the hull letter M. There is a new Medusa now – it also has the hull letter M."

Susan's serious face then became amused. "And then you have politics or other reasons which causes names to be different than the original plan. The EAS Nimrod was originally going to be EAS Gaia. Due to public opinion, Gaia eventually was deemed too weak ... wussy is the slang word we use in English … too wussy for the name of a warship. So Nimrod had the hull letter G. Which is amusing because Nimrod, though the name of the first great hunter in our holy book, also became slang for 'idiot' a few centuries ago."

The engineer was also amused. "So the Hyperions get hull numbers to identify them during battle and the Omegas get hull letters. There is no guarantee that they will match the actual name."

"Exactly."

The engineer nodded. "Okay. I will let my people know about the proper ship plans to review." The engineer then said, "Your Earth Alliance has some strange customs."

Susan shrugged and gave the man a grin. "It works for us."

* * *

Zack Allen looked at the group of Human visitors that he was now confronted with. "I'm sorry. But your papers are not in order. Legally, I have to refuse you entry."

The one at the head, who appeared to be a teenager, spoke with a stutter. "B..b..but we were t.. that we c..could req..q..quest ass.. and b.. sent to where B..b..b..ybron is."

Zack's eyebrows rose. "You're all telepaths?" he asked.

There were several nods and sounds of agreement. Zack sighed. "Hold on." He walked away to activate his link. "Security to Captain Lochley."

"Go ahead, Mr. Allen."

"I have several people claiming to be telepaths who are trying to get to where the others went. You told me to alert you if any arrived."

There was a pause and then an answer. "Yes. Ambassador Foster has agreed to sponsor them. Please wait for her or her representative to take custody of them."

"Understood. They are at docking entrance three. There are about twenty of them."

"Thanks for the heads up. Lochley, Out."

Zack turned and went back to the waiting telepaths. "I alerted Captain Lochley as to your arrival. She is arranging for the proper person to meet you to make arrangements for you. Please wait to the side until they arrive."

"Thank you," the boy said, looking relieved.

* * *

It took about twenty minutes but the Ambassador arrived, accompanied by Lyta Alexander. Zack thanked her for coming and motioned toward the waiting group.

Tory stepped forward. "I understand that you all have arrived to make arrangements to be sent to where Mr. Byron Gordon has found a home for you." The faces were hopeful in response. "Alright. Please come with me. There are several steps that need to be taken. Now. You are all telepaths. I am giving you permission to enter my mind sufficiently enough to ensure that I am not lying to you. Can all of you do this simultaneously without ill effect or should one do this and vouch for my truthfulness?"

One of the older members said, "We can do it at once if it's a light scan. You shouldn't feel anything."

"Good. Then you may do so now." She waited a moment until they looked like they had begun. "First, you all need to be registered – Babylon 5 security measures must be respected. Colonel Alexander, who is now a citizen of New Kobol and a member of our military, will assist you. She is a telepath as well and she too left Psi Corp before taking citizenship with us. You will be taken to a room where interviews can occur – this will be as uninvasive as can be but we need to ensure there are no Psi Corp plants. Afterward, you will all be checked out by Medlab to ensure any medical conditions are accounted for and you have any required medicines or other treatments. Dr. Franklin, unlike other doctors you may have been subjected to, is utterly ethical and can be trusted to put your needs before any allegiance to Earth Alliance or any other entity. Afterwards, I will bring you to a place which is legally New Kobol territory, thus removing you from any outside jurisdiction, until transport can be arranged. This will take at most four days. Until that time you will be safe and comfortable. Any questions?"

None were offered. "Very well." She turned. "Mr. Allen. We need to ensure that they have been recorded as arrived and that I have taken responsibility for them as they claim to be seeking asylum with my government."

Zack sighed and then nodded. "Okay, then. This way please."

* * *

All in all, it took the better part of eight hours for all necessary steps on the station to be taken. It could have been faster but none wanted to be separated for their medical exams, meaning they all had to be done in one Medlab rather than being spread over more of them. In addition, a meal had to be provided for them.

Once all the necessary steps were done, Tory led them to the exit to Bay 13 and the security personnel there. "Okay. These are asylum seekers who will be housed on the Phoenix until my government sends a transport. They need to be checked out of Babylon 5 as they will legally be off the station."

The Narn security guard, after checking with Zack, did as requested and soon the entire group made its way to the ship. Two New Kobol Marines, who were posted as security, waited for them.

Given special dispensation because of the jump technology on the ship, ten New Kobol marines took turns watching the ship. There was a marine sergeant in charge of the detail who answered to Ambassador Foster and who would act as a bodyguard if necessary. Three were always on duty (one or two inside, two or one outside), three were usually asleep, and three spent the remaining time studying English, keeping themselves in shape, or were free to amuse themselves on the ship or on the station.

The entire detail was enjoying learning the games in the Babylon 5 casino. They were, however, given strict limits as to how much pay they were allowed to lose there before they could not visit again until they received their next payroll.

Tory stopped in front of the two gaurds. "If you can ask Sergeant Demos to assemble the squad please?" she said to one of the guards.

"Right away, Ambassador."

Soon the telepaths were nervously watching the guards who were arranged as if on parade. "Now. Do any of you object to allowing our newest possible citizens from scanning you during this orientation so that they are assured that what I say is true?"

The entire group called out in unison, "No, Ma'am!" The detail had been warned that this request would be made and why: Those arriving were seeking asylum and had a history of being treated poorly. Trust would be a precious commodity.

Tory turned to the telepaths. "As you have heard, you are free to lightly scan the Marines during this orientation to assure yourselves of your safety and the truthfulness of their responses."

The telepaths, many of them, had initially been quite suspicious. However, the freedom they were being given to use their abilities was … almost overwhelming. Suspicion was giving way to a feeling of safety, and hope.

Ambassador Foster turned back to the Sergeant. "Sergeant Demos. What orders have you been given as regards those who stand before you and others like them?"

"Ma'am. Standing orders are that any person brought by yourself to be housed on the Phoenix are to be treated with the same courtesy expected toward any citizen of New Kobol."

"Are you allowed to spy on them or to restrict their movements?"

"In only limited ways, Ma'am."

"And what ways are those?"

"No civilian is allowed to enter the Bridge, the engine compartment, or crew quarters. No access is to be allowed to the ship's navigation computers by unauthorized personnel. All information on the New Kobol jump drive is now considered classified and only those given license by the New Kobol government are allowed to be taught any aspect of it. Those housed on the Phoenix and classified as Asylum seekers are not allowed to enter the station without prior authorization from you or me."

"And what are the reasons for these rules?"

"To ensure the safety of the passengers. If they re-enter Babylon 5 before citizenship is granted, or even if they exit Phoenix before being handed over to the New Kobol transport, those fracking rat-bastard, slimy, sleazy, morally-decrepit and likely mentally-diseased _bastards_ who call themselves Psi Cops could use that to attempt to take custody of them before they are safe in New Kobol space."

The watching telepaths were completely shocked with that response. And because they were mentally scanning the squad, they all _felt_ the utterly consuming dislike these Mundanes experienced when the Psi Cops were mentioned.

"Okay then." She turned to the telepaths. "We will continue with this – once we are inside. This is not a secure area; there are cameras and other devices not under out control out here, after all. Do any of you refuse admittance to New Kobol space, as the Phoenix is designated, under the circumstances laid out at this time? You have the right to change your mind, just as you have the right to change your mind and leave up until the moment that the transport is on its way. So, do any refuse?"

The telepaths all looked at each other and none of them answered. "Good. Come inside and have a seat, and I'll continue inside."

* * *

The entire group of telepaths and marines all followed the Ambassador inside. They were led to a seating area which looked like nothing more than a bank of seats as one would find on a high-class shuttle.

The telepaths and marines sat down. Four others, ships crew all of them, joined the group.

Tory looked at the telepaths, marines, Lyta, and crew members, and had an epiphany. She would follow up – after things were made clear.

"Okay. Welcome to Phoenix, the diplomatic carrier for New Kobol. As of this moment: You are all safe."

There was an immediate decrease in tension.

"Ship's crew, please stand up." They did. "These will be showing you around and ensuring that you are comfortable. They will show you where you will be sleeping, eating, and where you can relax. We are not set up with personnel to cater to you – you _will_ have to assist in things. I hope some of you, anyway, can cook or at least assist the crewman in charge of cooking. Or meals will take forever. You're going to have to help take care of the quarters you are being placed in – no one will come in and clean up for you. You're not _passengers;_ you are, in effect, _residents_. Even if temporary." Tory gave a tight grin, which had just a hint of mischief. "I am placing Sergeant Demos in charge. If you expect a marine sergeant to accept less than clean and tidy conditions, you are in for an education."

Sergeant Demos called out, "I'll try to remember they are civilians, Ma'am."

The telepaths were a little confused at the amusement dripping off the marine platoon. After a couple of days, they would no longer be confused.

"Now. Let's continue. After you are set up, there will be forms for all of you to fill out. A personal history form which doubles as a citizenship application. Off duty marines and ship's crew will help to ensure that you understand a rough history of New Kobol as well as giving you a primer on government, religion, and commerce. You will all be sent to live in the area where Mayor Gordon is in charge."

One of the telepaths asked, "Mayor Gordon?"

Tory smiled. "You know him as Byron …?"

The telepaths have a shocked looked. "You have a whole town for telepaths?"

Tory shook her head. "No. Not all residents are telepaths. It's just that most current residents are telepaths. Mr. Gordon was elected in a majority vote of the residents."

Another telepath protested. "But isn't it illegal for telepaths to hold government office?"

Tory shook her head again and sighed in exasperation. "No. New Kobol does not have _any_ special process, laws, or organization which deals with telepaths as separate from non-telepaths. There is no special registration. You aren't required to warn anyone that you are a telepath. You aren't required to go to telepath training. You aren't required to live separated from others. You _may_ find it more comfortable to live among telepaths. That is personal choice. Yes, you are expected to follow the laws and customs of privacy – you can't go bandying about any personal secrets you might pick up from those around you and you aren't allowed to scan others without permission. But from what I am told, many people let fly their feelings and thoughts. It would be impossible to expect you to pick up nothing. The social contract requires that you respect the privacy and persons of others as they respect yours. No other special conditions."

The telepaths, rather than being more comfortable, most had expressions which showed uncertainty.

"Look. I just realized, just after you sat down, a very … worrying thing. Look at how you are seated. Look at how you are grouped."

The telepaths looked around. They didn't see what she was talking about.

"You are separated, as much as possible, from the others in the room." The telepaths looked again and saw that she was right. "Now, in this circumstance, I understand it. But none of you even conceived of sitting next to the marines or the crew members. You have all been _indoctrinated_ into seeing yourselves as other. Or to classify people by the labels 'Telepath' and 'Mundane'. You instinctually separate the two as different species, even if you don't notice it. I would guess that if you look back at your time with telepaths trained by Psi Corps, you will notice that it was accepted, according to all speech and actions, that Mundanes are to be considered … not the same. I am certain that it wasn't even something that was explicitly emphasized – it was something that was just expected by all training."

Lyta volunteered. "No. It was explicitly stated. _And_ it's a part of all speech patterns among telepaths, whether you agree with the idea of Psi Corps or not."

Tory nodded in acknowledgement. "Let go of it. Yes, New Kobol law recognizes telepaths as a protected minority. That is for religious reasons. Telepaths are considered to have a special connection with the Lords of Kobol. But at the same time, there are no special laws which give you privilege or consideration because of it. You aren't 'telepathic citizens' or 'special cases'. You're just … _people_."

The telepaths looked to be having a hard time making that mental leap. Tory turned to a marine. "Private Simpson. Tell our newest citizens about Cylons, what they are and what has happened."

The marine gave a fairly detailed account, assisted by other marines. The telepaths, who were scanning, actually got a much fuller sense of the horror of the war than other Earth humans had. After a while, the marine finished.

"Okay. So. Show of hands. Marines and crew members. How many of you despise and loath the Cylons for what they have done."

All hands signaled.

"Okay. Now, to our new members. Do any of you think that is an unreasonable response?"

There were no takers.

"Okay. Last item. I'll tell you that I, the Ambassador-at-Large for the New Kobol government, personal representative for President Grazier to all non-Kobol governments, am a humanform Cylon. What do you think about that?"

The telepaths were shocked. She was, according to their scanning, telling the truth. "Okay. Private … Penna. Private Penna. How do you feel about me?"

"Honestly Ma'am?" Tory nodded. "It gives me a little bit of the wiggins, as Earthers put it, that you're a Cylon. Originally, when I found out, I thought that you should have been killed. Now … it still makes me nervous sometimes. But it helps that according to everyone I talked to, you didn't do anything to help the other Cylons. You didn't even know you were one until the Earth doctors helped scan all survivors."

Tory nodded. "I understand. Why wasn't I killed when it was found out?"

Penna shrugged. "Well, you're a different type than the murdering bastards who destroyed our worlds. But overall – Cylons are, in a way, our children. If I was treated like the Cylons were until they rebelled, I might hate the people who did it too. I think they went way, way, way too far. They committed far worse crimes against us than anything we ever did against them. But, I'm alive. At a certain point, it has to be live, let live. You being a Cylon … it's just a label now. I might not like it, but trying to hate you for it? It's too much work. I wouldn't want to date you, or live with you if I had a choice, but …" he shrugged, "well, you're one of our people now. So I just let it go."

Tory nodded. "Now. Answer honestly. Do you trust me in my job?"

Penna chuckled. "Yeah. I might not like you on a personal level, but you've done everything you could to help our people in dealing with the Aliens and with Earth. You're just as loyal to New Kobol as me. As a citizen, I trust you. As a man – you scare me. But … I'll get over it, eventually."

"But I'm a Cylon."

"Yes, Ma'am. But my superiors told me to protect you and the ship. That's what I do. I'm a marine. I follow orders. Even if I die because of it. I follow orders. That's all I need to concentrate on when the hatred comes up and bites me when I remember what happened and wallow in it too much."

Sergeant Demos was nodding in approval at his marine as he spoke. He felt pride in how well his men did as they were told.

Tory said, "Thank you, Private Pella." She turned to the telepaths. "Things aren't all, using a phrase Lyta gave me, roses and bunnies. People may dislike you for being able to read their minds. They have a right. But as citizens, you will have rights too. You can live, work, protect yourself, use your abilities to help understand others. You can't use it to cheat others or create unfair advantages. But what's unfair? If you are dating someone and can tell if they are lying to you and so you break up with them … well, that's just life. If you sense that someone is cheating you and you know because of your abilities, that's just a part of being who you are. You have a right to use your inborn talents to figure that out. This is not Earth. This is New Kobol. If you live with us, you're one of us and that's all you need to remember. Any questions?"

The telepaths all looked at each other. None really had any questions. "Okay then. I'll turn you over to Sergeant Demos. He'll get you all squared away. For my part: Welcome to New Kobol. I hope you will have a brighter future with us."


	9. Bester Visits, Day of the Dead

"Mr. Bester," Zack Allen addressed the new arrival. "How can Babylon 5 help you today?" Zak really wanted to snark, but he remembered Admiral Adama's commented about professionalism. He was still the same man as he used to be, he was just more … careful in how he addressed those that he felt an intense dislike for.

"I am here to investigate a report. We received intelligence that several rogue telepaths arrived here a few days ago."

"I see. And who do you wish to speak to about this report?"

"It's an Earth Alliance security matter. You're the Security Chief. Isn't it your job to assist me?"

Zack gave a tight smile. "I believe I will ask Captain Lochley to assist me in explaining the matter. This is above my pay grade."

Bester was annoyed, but accepted it. At least Lochley wasn't a Psi Corp basher. "Very well. How long before I can speak with her."

Zack hit his link. "Security to Captain Lochley."

There was a chirp. "Go ahead."

"Mr. Alfred Bester of Earth Alliance Psi Corp has arrived to deal with reports of rogue telepaths having arrived here. He said it was a Security matter. I informed him that it is a station matter and he would need to speak to you. When could you meet with him?"

There was a pause. "Give me an hour to make arrangements and then please escort him or send him to my office."

"Understood, Captain." The line turned off. Zack turned to Bester. "Would you like to wait here or prefer to wait elsewhere?"

Bester hid his annoyance. "Here will be just fine." He motioned toward a wall. "I'll wait over there."

"Alright then." He turned toward the other officers. "Please assist Mr. Bester as required. I will be back to pick him up in 45 minutes." Bester moseyed over to the waiting area.

The Narn and Human both acknowledged his order. Zack then quickly moved inside the station. Once he was out of sight, he hit his link. "Zack to Lyta Alexander."

"You need something, Zack?" Lyta's voice came through.

"Yeah. Where's Garibaldi?"

"He's with me. I'm checking on the telepaths on the Phoenix."

Zack sighed in relief. "Good. You need to keep Michael there. And stay yourself. We've got Bester who just got here, chasing down a report of rogue telepaths arriving here."

There was a pause and Lyta's voice showed some strain. "What's going to happen?" she asked.

"I'm sending Bester to Captain Lochley to get the briefing on the rules regarding Human telepaths seeking asylum. I don't know how she intends to handle it – but I do know that if Garibaldi sees Bester, it's gonna make it ten times harder to handle this."

"He has a right to his feelings."

"I agree. I just can't imagine Lochley letting him confront Bester about his beef with the Psi Corp. That wouldn't end well."

"You have a point. Thanks for the heads up. We'll be here until I get word that it's safe."

"Good, then. Allen, out." He deactivated his link. He then immediately put in a call to immediately increase the number of B5 officers outside of Bay 13 and gave orders that they weren't to allow Garibaldi to go anywhere without an escort and to keep him away from Bester.

* * *

Captain Lochley stood up as Bester walked in. "Mr. Bester! Welcome to Babylon 5."

"Thank you, Captain." He gave a tight smile. "It's a far less annoying welcome than I am used to getting here."

Lochley motioned toward the chair and sighed. "I know. I read all of the reports on their interactions with you. They make very clear _their_ side of the story. Personally, I remember how you helped me with that problem on Beta 7. So, regardless of whatever they say, I have a healthy amount of respect for you."

Bester nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you. Now. As to the matter at hand: Psi Corp received a report that several rogue telepaths have arrived at Babylon 5. We were aware that, at one point, there had been an underground railroad of a sort running through Babylon 5. But that was shut down. We would like to avoid that happening again."

Lochley sighed. "I'm sorry, Mr. Bester. My hands have been tied." She pulled out a flimsy and passed it over to him. The see through plastic document, often used by Earth Alliance for official notices, was pretty self-explanatory.

_"Babylon 5 Administrative Policy_

_"Babylon 5 (B5), according to agreement between the Interstellar Alliance (ISA) and Earth Alliance (EA), is by law currently an independent State._

_"According to the agreements between them, B5 is to be administered according to established EA law and precedent except where there are specific policies or laws as set by the ISA._

_"While each resident and visitor of Babylon 5 is expected to follow EA law and procedures, an exception is made on the following matter:_

_"Human Telepaths seeking Sanctuary and/or Asylum_

_"In recognition of the rights of every sentient individual as recognized by the ISA , any telepath arriving at Babylon 5 claiming sanctuary from Earth Alliance law and/or the organization the Psi Corps, is to be granted permission to enter B5. The Government of New Kobol has agreed to sponsor any such individual and to arrange passage from Babylon 5._

_"Exceptions are as follows:_

_"Any individual telepath or non-telepath claiming sanctuary but which has specific and verified criminal charges levied against their person for the crimes of murder, rape, torture, or their telepathic equivalents, is to be handled according to EA law. Psi Corps, specifically, is permitted and expected to handle such matters._

_"Any telepath claiming sanctuary whose application is declared specious by New Kobol authorities may be held by B5 security until they can be turned over to a Psi Corp representative._

_"Any such individual may be administered injections of those compounds designated as 'sleepers' by Psi Corps, administered by B5 medical personnel. This order is specific to telepathic individuals who may pose a threat to themselves or others while under B5 custody._

_"As set by my hand,_

_"President John J Sheridan,_

_"President, Interstellar Alliance"_

Bester sighed as he finished it. "This is … an abomination."

Lochley gave Bester a commiserating look. "My hands are tied. I specifically queried Earthdome for a response. They admitted that there was nothing they could do about it. Babylon 5 _is_ an Independent State. And while Earthforce pays the salary of Earthforce officers and crew posted to B5, the station's operating budget is taken care of by the Alliance. The Earth Senate was quite gleeful in washing their hands of the necessity of paying for it, outside of what other governments also contribute. But now the shortsightedness of Earth politicians has come back to bite us in the ass."

Bester considered that. "Very well. Thank you for the efforts you expended to overturn this." He paused and then said, "I would like to speak to the representative from New Kobol."

Lochley nodded. "I can arrange that. How long will you stay?"

"As long as needed to resolve this. If necessary, I will get quarters. If it's handled today, I will be off immediately."

"Okay. Where will you be?"

"I will be on my shuttle, beginning my report."

"I'll have Lt. Commander Corwin contact you with information as to times within the hour."

Bester stood up. "Thank you, Captain. I will await the information." He then stood up.

Lochley waited until Bester was gone at least 3 minutes. She contacted the President. "How did it go?"

"Pretty much as you expected. If he did a light scan, he definitely got my irritation with you putting this on me. I made certain that was foremost in my mind."

Sheridan gave a rueful chuckle. "I'm sorry. But it was necessary. We're not ready to stir up that hornet's nest. And if I handled him, I would have been … much less pleasant to him." He paused. "He requested a meeting?"

"Yes."

"Ambassador Foster has gotten some assistance from Delenn. She'll have a Minbari telepath on hand – which really annoys Bester. But she isn't Earth Alliance. He'll have no right to complain."

Lochley looked at the face on the screen. "Have you considered my request to get an Earth commercial telepath assigned? It would make it much easier if there was one already here."

"We have a bad history. Lyta was the original – until she was recalled after the attempted assassination against the Vorlon ambassador. Talia was fine – until we found out there was a hidden personality she was programmed with. We haven't accepted or asked for one since. And because of our history, they haven't pushed. We would worry about spying if we asked for someone to be posted here. We were worried that anyone Psi Corps assigned would be a mole – and we couldn't afford it."

Lochley sighed. "We lose out on revenue from Earth corporations who won't deal with any telepath not certified by Psi Corp. I know there are political issues involved. But from a revenue standpoint, it _would_help. After all, we _do_ have to cover operating costs outside of EA personnel salaries."

Sheridan sighed. "Bring up the question with _Mr. Bester_," the name was said with some disgust, "and see what he says. We will take the request _under advisement_. Sheridan, Off."

Lochley could see that Sheridan was not likely to budge, but it might be necessary to insist. She was not looking forward to those conversations.

* * *

A couple of days later, after a New Kobol shuttle had taken the telepaths away, Tory Foster exited her quarters to find the hallway was changed. Lyta had gone with them, leaving Garibaldi to fill in for her. She had wanted to ensure they were taken care of. Lyta would return in two weeks.

She took a long look at the things that were being strung up and the aliens who were doing it. Finally she asked, "What is this?"

On the ones watching turned and said, "Preparations. For festival, celebration. Tonight is Brakiri Day of the Dead."

She then remembered the explanation she had been given. "Ah, yes. I had forgotten. Ambassador Kullenbrak spoke to me of it." She looked at the hangings. "I understand the skulls if it's the Day of the Dead. But what's with the star?" She pointed toward the decoration next to the skull.

"Is not star, is _comet_. In Brakiri system, there is one comet only. It returns every two hundred years. Its arrival signals Day of the Dead. We speak of it not except during these times. When comet comes, time it is for the Dead to once again walk among us, for one night only. Welcome, we do, those who have gone before. It is of great meaning to Brakiri."

Tory shrugged and smiled. She saw that he was carrying several skulls on hanging threads. "Well, far be it from me to disdain any religious observance. How much for a decoration for my quarters?"

The Brakiri looked at the woman. "You are Ambassador. For new Humans who come from Chaotic Sector. Yes?"

"Yes. I am Tory Foster, Ambassador of New Kobol."

"Then take one, as gift. Insist I do."

"Thank you." She looked at them as he started separating one out. "What is it made of?"

"Is sugar, _candy_ for carbon-based lifeforms who can metabolize. Otherwise, is just decoration." The Brakiri gave one to her. "May The Comet bring you wisdom this Night." Tory was amused to note that this was the first time he had used "the" for anything.

"Thank you." She quickly re-entered her quarters and hung up the decoration. After, she left. There was supposed to be some VIP entertainers coming from Earth. A comedy duo named Rebo and Zooty. They were very popular with Earth Humans. She had watched one of their movies – she didn't find them that funny. But to each their own.

* * *

She had been there when the two entertainers arrived. May Humans and Aliens seemed overwhelmed and awestruck. She was almost confused. In watching the audience, she noted that only Captain Lochley, among those watching, shared her lack of amusement for the routine.

When Lochley left, she followed. Lochley turned and saw who had walked up next to her. "Ambassador. What can I do for you?"

Tory asked, "Is it just me or were those two … kind of ridiculous."

Lochley hid her quick smile. "I never much paid attention to them. Honestly … I didn't much care for the routine. But if most of those watching liked it, who am I to complain?"

Tory gave a small shrug. "Yes. If anyone asks, I followed you to ask a question about the Brakiri festival."

Lochley grinned at her. "I'm actually going to a meeting with the Brakiri Ambassador. He's buying a part of Babylon 5 tonight for the festival. Or at least the Brakiri government is."

"Buying it? Don't you mean renting it?" Tory asked.

"No." The two women continued walking and talking.

* * *

The Brakiri Ambassador was waiting with another Brakiri when the two arrived in the corridor which held Lochley's office. "Ambassador Foster, an unexpected surprise," the Ambassador said.

"I'm sorry. I can leave you to your business. The Captain was explaining the proposition you have for her. It was fascinating to me. One of your people gave me a decoration for the festival – I already hung it in my quarters. I was just interested in learning about it."

The Ambassador and the other Brakiri looked at each other. Ambassador Kullenbrak said with a friendly smile, "You are more than welcome to observe, if Captain Lochley doesn't object to your presence."

Tory looked to Lochley who shrugged. "I would be delighted." The Brakiri gave her a respectful headbob and the group walked into Lochley's office.

Tory watched as they spoke. She, like the rest, were surprised when G'Kar rushed in. "Captain! I came as soon as I realized what was occurring! You cannot go through with this!"

Tory was amazed as the Captain, normally very accommodating and friendly, very efficiently put G'Kar into his place. G'Kar was about to storm off in disgust when Tory grabbed his arm. He looked at her and she motioned with her finger a request for him to wait.

The two Ambassadors watched until the transaction was finished. The Ambassador, with a gift of a skull and a respectful bow, left the office.

Finally, Tory turned to G'kar. "Okay. What was all this about? Why were you so against this?" she asked the Narn. Lochley also looked at him with some interest.

G'Kar sat down. "When we finally threw off our Centauri masters after their Hundred Year occupation of Narn, we struck out looking for any opportunity at all to gain resources, influence, and wealth. Ours was a humid and warm jungle world, but after a hundred years of strip mining and clear-cutting, it was a desolate world, arid, we knew that we had to take any opportunity we could to achieve enough to save our people.

"One thing we did was to study all other races, their cultures, worlds, resources, their needs, their religions. After all, who knew what we had that others would need who might be willing to trade for something we needed? For example, many know that comets, by there nature, are full of ice, and rock. On Narn, we herd all comets in our system to our world, to help to begin to replenish the water that was lost when the wood was taken after clear-cutting. We still are lacking millions of tons of water that would do much to help replenish our world.

"The Brakiri, we found, had one comet. And there were very much against any effort that disrupt the comet's path. When we asked why it was so important, we were told tales. Such tales that we did not believe. When the comet comes, for one night every two hundred years, the Dead walk. Those who have died come among the living, to speak to relatives, to friends … to enemies. At times these encounters provide wisdom. With others they provide portents of doom.

"We Narn find such concepts extremely worthy of caution and circumspection. If one were guaranteed to receive wisdom, that would be one thing. But what doom might be spoken should one of us ever encounter the phenomenon?

"We were told, in no uncertain terms, that such was the province of Brakir, and that only that which is of Brakir experiences this Day of the Dead." He looked at Captain Lochley. "It might all be superstition. But there is much of the Universe that does not give up its secrets so easily. The chance that it _might_ be true … that is worth every caution. I hope that none suffer from your willingness to allow a part of this place to become a part of Brakir for the night."

Before Lochley could speak Tory asked, "These tales. Have you ever heard of the Dead attacking? Or causing damage?"

G'Kar thought about it. "No. They only speak. But that is worthy of heedfulness of itself."

Tory said, "Well, I live in the area that will be Brakiri territory. My people have lost Billions. Perhaps I will speak to someone who has gone before. Maybe it's all a folk tale. But I will dare. After all, the contract says that tomorrow the Brakiri will make certain nothing is damaged or changed?"

Lochley looked over the contract. "Yes. The promise is that once planatery sunrise arrives, the station will revert to local control and the Brakiri will ensure that everything is cleaned up and returned to the condition it was in when this started."

Tory nodded. "There you go. What is there to fear? If they speak a doom, might it be better to be prepared? It's not as though speaking it creates it … unless there's something I don't know about."

Lochley chuckled. "Not that I know of."

She looked at G'Kar with a grin. "There you go. The only thing to fear is fear itself."

G'Kar looked annoyed. "Perhaps you better warn the President and the station personnel that they might be missing a part of the station tonight." He took on a dismissive tone. "But no worries, everything will be back to normal tomorrow. No cause for concern."

Tory laughed. Lochley, amused, hit her link. "Lochley to CNC."

"CNC here."

"Just to warn you. If a piece of the station disappears tonight – don't worry. I sold it to the Brakir. But they will give it back tomorrow. Ignore any alerts if you get them." G;Kar gave her a disgusted look, even as Tory gave her a "high five" (something Lyta had taught her).

There was a long pause. "Captain? Are you feeling alright?" Corwin's confused voice came through.

Lochley's voice took on a more serious note. "I'm fine, Lt. Commander. I was just annoying Ambassador G'Kar who's in my office. It was part of the joke."

"So we won't be missing a part of the station tonight?" his worried voice came back.

Lochley and Tory looked at each other and both shrugged. "You never know. I _am_ selling a part of the station to the Brakiri tonight for religious reasons. But the contract assures that they will return it in the morning intact. So even if a part disappears, don't worry too much. Okay, Lt. Commander?" she finished with a smile.

"If you say so, Captain."

"Lochley, Out."

* * *

Lt. Commander David Corwin looked at his fellow CIC personnel and each of them looked torn between confusion and amusement. Lochley had never shown any sense of humor, so the call was actually quite amusing.

But Corwin was still a _little_ bit worried. He asked one of the techs, "Should I tell the President?"

The tech, a Babylon 5 veteran, said, "Sure. Why not? He's with Rebo and Zooty, from what I know. He'll be open to some humor."

Corwin grinned. "CNC to President Sheridan."

The link chirped. "This is Sheridan, Go."

"Mr. President. Did Captain Lochley tell you she's selling part of the station to the Brakiri tonight?" His voice now had some amusement.

There was a pause. "I remember something about it. This Day of the Dead festival."

"Yes, Sir. She just called to warn me that she did so and if a part of the station disappears, don't worry. The Brakiri have promised to give it back in the morning in the same condition they got it in." He could barely contain his urge to snicker.

Sheridan's tone was mildly amused _and_ long-suffering. "Thanks for the heads-up, Lt. Commander. I'll make certain I remember that when I talk to her tomorrow."

"Yes, Sir."

"Sheridan, Out," was almost snapped back.

All of the listening personnel immediately laughed loudly at the exchange. It was rare that humour could prevail so widely.

* * *

G'Kar had originally thought to retreat out of the Brakiri-controlled area. But the talk with Tory Foster had firmed up his courage and he decided to face whatever happened head on.

When the lights dimmed, and only emergency power remained, he quickly stood up and looked around. His quarters had almost a surreal quality. He saw nothing as he looked around. He went to the door and saw that the hallway was filled by a pulsating light. He wasn't stupid enough to try to traverse that.

His inspection of the phenomenon was interrupted by a voice. "Ah. My old friend _G'Kar_. It's so _good_ to see you."

G'Kar turned quickly to see who had spoken. Standing before him was the form on someone who he detested almost more than any other: the late Emperor Cartagia of the Centauri Republic. The man's face was torn between amusement and sobriety.

* * *

Tory Foster was at her desk when the change came. Her eyes widened as she contemplated what was happening. She was torn between worry and excitement. Suddenly, a form came out of the refresher.

"Tory Foster. I am so happy to be able to speak to you," the friendly looking man said.

She was curious. "Who are you?"

The man calmly replied, "He took so much from you, from _all_ of you… from all of _us_." The man sighed. "In a way, you could say that I am one of your children. My name is Daniel, and I am the Model 7 Cylon. Until the Cavils killed us all because my model remained loyal to you and the other Final Five."

Tory's eyes widened. "Come over and sit down. Let us talk."

Daniel smiled. "Certainly."

Corwin looked at the readouts and carefully checked all sensors and readings. It was if there was a piece missing.

He had not considered that the Captain had been speaking truthfully. But, this was Babylon 5. If weird shit happened, it happened here.

Finally, he made the call he was dreading. "CIC to President Sheridan."

"This is Sheridan."

"Mr. President, remember that warning I passed on earlier?"

"Yes."

"Well, it happened."

There was a long pause. "So a piece of the station is missing?" he asked.

"According to all readings. As Executive Officer, I'm going to check it out. But at least the Captain told me that it will be back to normal in the morning. I hope. Especially because the Captain's quarters are in that section."

There was another pause. "Inform me of what you find. But I guess for the next several hours we have to trust what we've been told."

"Yes, Mr. President."

"I definitely will be speaking to her about this in the morning. We never had this kind of thing happen when Ivanova was calling the shots."

"Yes, sir," Corwin's voice sounded amused at that. "There were other things when she was here."

Sheridan was amused as well at that. "True. Anyway, I'll expect to hear from you soon after you've checked it. Sheridan, Out."

* * *

Lochley had been shocked when her friend arrived. Zoe was a part of her life far more than Sheridan had ever been.

Before she became too embroiled, she made an announcement.

"Hello. To all within this section of Babylon 5, Happy Day of the Dead. Things will be strange for a few hours but will return to normal in the morning. There is no cause for concern, and everything is fine. Do not try to leave the area - we are 47 light years from Babylon 5. But we'll be back tomorrow. That is all. Good night."


	10. After the Day of the Dead

"Emperor Cartagia. Of all the possible people who could come back to speak to me, it had to be _you_." G'Kar's voice held hatred and contempt.

Cartagia gave a flippant shrug. "Yes. It's me. The _Living God_ Cartagia." His tone held irony. "Or at least I could have been, if it hadn't been for Londo and that pathetic assistant of his."

G'Kar was surprised. "Vir? Vir Cotto?"

"Yes," Cartagia said as he inspected G'Kar's quarters. "Even if it was Londo's plan to kill me, Vir Cotto was the one who actually 'pulled the trigger', if you will." Cartagia turned to G'Kar. "Just because I was allowing the Shadows to raise me to Godhood. Yes, yes,yes," he said casually, "the Vorlons were coming to destroy Centauri Prime. But it was their _duty_ to allow it to happen. I was the _Emperor_, and it was the duty of _every_ Centauri to take their place on the pyre as it was lit in tribute to _my_ Godhood!"

Cartagia looked around. "You know? These are very depressing rooms."

G'Kar was astounded that Cartagia was just as crazy in death as he was in life. "I'm sorry. If I had known I would have a guest of such a divine nature, I would have ensured that things were more prepared for you."

Cartagia gave a happy smile at that. "You see? We _can_ get along." Cartagia flounced to a seat.

"Now. As to the reason why I am here."

"Go on, go on," G'Kar said in a faux friendly voice.

Cartagia said most importantly, "Now, you remember Mr. Morden."

"Oh, yes. I remember him. He worked for the Shadowsm if I recall correctly."

"Well, when he was killed by Mollari, he promised that Centauri Prime would pay the price for what was done to his associates. Mollari was _warned_," Cartagia said in a remonstrative voice, "and so if the Shadow's allies come and ensure Centauri pays the price, it is _no one's_ fault but Mollari's. Am I right or am I right?"

G'Kar replied, "Oh, yes. I can see that. Certainly. It is on Mollari's head. And it will be quite deserved." G'Kar was using an obsequious tone. "He definitely needs to pay for not accepting _your_ divine command."

"Exactly right!" Cartagia seemed so happy that someone understood. "Yes. Yes. Yes! Now, the Drak. You've heard of them?"

"Yes, I _think_ so." G'Kar said uncertainly.

"Yes. They used to live on the Shadow home world. They worked for them. When their world was destroyed, they had to go _somewhere_. Well, they remembered Londo's part in the defeat of their Masters. And they began a plan to _ensure_ that Londo and the Centauri would _pay_ for their temerity." Cartagia's happy expression turned to one that was more somber. "But there's a problem now."

G'Kar said in a voice showing fear. "Oh, no! What happened?"

"Somehow, and I don't know how, I know that these new Humans will do _something._ The Drak are working day and night to ensure that everyone will believe that the Centauri are being wicked, wicked. And if are to go as planned, it will ensure that Centauri Prime is isolated and can then be exploited by the Drak. But somehow, the Alliance will be alerted. And while many Centauri will die, the truth will be made known before the Drak are ready for everyone to know. And so, I have come here to ensure that you make certain that these new Humans are kept out of it. After all, you're a _Narn_. And certainly, you wish the Centauri to suffer, right?" Cartagia gave an encouraging look.

G'Kar replied, "Oh, yes. I would definitely like to see them _suffer_."

"Right. I _knew_ you would be a valuable ally when I arrived here. Now, I don't _know_ what has happened since I died – the last I remember was Vir Cotto stabbing me with a needle – but when I saw you, I just _knew_ so much. It must be my divine nature _finally_ taking hold. Anyway, I also get the idea that you almost weren't here tonight. Imagine how _hoooorrible_ it would have been if that were so. I couldn't give you the warning. And that would have been _terrible_."

G'Kar nodded. "Yes, yes. Someone finally convinced me to face my reticence. And so here I am."

"Good. You should make certain you pass on my thanks. As I said, if you weren't here, the new Humans would have done _something_ and the Draks' plans would be thwarted in part. And we _can't_ have that."

"No, no; we _can't_," G'Kar said in a light tone.

"Now. Tell me of what is happening in the Galaxy. Tell me of how Narn suffers." Cartagia sat back comfortably.

As he began speaking, G'Kar reflected that it was quite frightening that insanity could follow one into death.

* * *

Tory had heard Daniel's story as to how Cavil had taken over the collective. "Ellen, Mum, had decided I was her favorite. Which actually was why John hated me. He made sure that the amniotic fluid used for my model was corrupted, which caused me to be unable to be reborn. And in his jealousy, he moved to defy the Final Five their goal of ensuring the Cylon-Human conflicts of the past didn't repeat. And then he put you in with the Humans so you could share their fate."

Tory sighed. "We actually figured that out. The Earth Humans have something called Death of Personality to replace capital punishment. We deduced that this was what had been done to us."

Daniel considered that. "That would be a good summary. But there is something that can be done to help you remember."

"What?" Tory asked. "Lyta Alexander, a telepath, could find no trace of any other memories."

"I know. But they are still there – they are just under a lockdown tied to the Cavil voice pattern. He has to recite a certain combination of words. Somehow, these match up to an Earth song from a few hundred years ago."

"How does that work?" Tory asked. "We haven't been in contact with Earth for over two centuries. That should be impossible."

Daniel gave a delighted smile. "There was a song that was known on Kobol, and then on the Cylon Earth. The Human Earth had someone who 'wrote it' three hundred years ago. Maybe artists have a special connection and there is some kind of 'universal mind'. I don't know. All I know is that for some reason, the song has been repeated in all Human and Cylon civilizations. It's the only one. In fact, when I started playing it, Mum was absolutely shocked."

"What is the song?"

Daniel sighed. "I don't know. I only remember one line which caught my memory. 'The thief he spoke kindly' – something about a kind thief fired my imagination."

Tory shrugged. "I don't remember it. But that may just be because the memories are locked."

Daniel had spoken his piece. "Now. What's been happening since you all left the Colonies?"

* * *

G'Kar had gotten very tired of pandering to the mad dead Emperor he had been confronted with. Just as he was about to scream, Cartagia gasped. "Oh, no! Something is happening! I can feel the night ending!" He looked at G'Kar with some horror, and some regret. "I guess that my ascension will have to wait until the next time I am recalled. I only hope that it will be someone who can do _something_ to assist me. I know you would have done something if you could have, but, in the end you're only a Narn. It's not like you have any true power."

G'Kar was tempted, oh so very tempted, to throw back so much in the face of this being who had so harmed his people. At the end, he chose to let the dead rest.

"Well, perhaps next time," he said in a reasonable tone. "Have a good 're-death' – I hope that it proves more satisfying than the last."

With that, suddenly Cartagia disappeared right before him. Even as he peered around the room to ensure that the madman was truly gone a few short minutes later, the regular lights that had turned off the night before turned back on.

G'Kar checked the time. 5:42. In the normal course of things, he would still be asleep. He decided that he didn't want to retreat into the oblivion of sleep. He wanted to get out and be among more normal people.

It was time, he decided, to go and eat breakfast.

* * *

Tory looked around her quarters after Daniel had disappeared. It was so similar and so different from what she remembered of her life in the colonies. So much of what Earth did was similar to what was done there. And yet, there was so much that was different as well.

The casual use of electronics, computers, and technology in everyday life was far more pervasive with Earth Humans than had been the case with the Colonies.

It had not always been so. The Colonies, ironically, had gone much further with computer technology. But that had ended with the creation of Cylons. And so, once their creations had attacked, the Colonies had reverted to a low-tech base.

All advances in technology had halted toward a more physical base and less virtual. All of that had been done to protect themselves from possible hacking by machine intelligences.

And now she knew that Kobol had suffered the same fate, as had the Cylon-settled Earth. Every time that Kobol-descended beings had made leaps into more advanced computers, they had veered off into the development of machine intelligence. And it had _almost_ always ended in catastrophe.

She and her friends, apparently, had done all they could to prevent the same from happening to the colonies and, having found the Cylon-Human conflict already begun, they had negotiated with the Cylons to stop the fighting.

Their efforts, however, had been co-opted by the vindictive nature of their creations. One creation specifically: John Cavil. Their first new Humanform model since the original creation on Kobol.

Kobol Cylons had left and created a society which had, eventually, morphed into a biological path. They had lived, and loved, and reproduced, just as their creators had done. And then they had forgotten the lessons of the past and created their own mechanical Cylons.

And that had led to their destruction.

She hoped that she could, using what she had been told, help retrieve her memories as well as those of the other four. She hoped there was something there which could be used to prevent it from repeating.

Earth Humans had a saying: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

She had heard a variation from Sheridan (Those who ignore the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them) and had looked it up in the Earth database.

The original, she felt, was a much more precise definition of the problems between Humans and Cylons. If only the Cavils had such explained to them. Or maybe they had, but had ignored it in their quest to punish their creators.

When the lights had come back on, her first step was to move to contact New Kobol. She had new information that was vital for those in charge to be aware of.

The next step would be to find out what the Earth song that Daniel had referenced was. She hoped it wasn't too hard to track down.

* * *

Sheridan had spoken to Lochley, having verified what had been supposed; and that there had been no other explanation available which could be verified.

Sheridan had his moment with Zooty and, seeing G'Kar next to him, asked, "And if it's not too personal, what did you experience?"

G'Kar huffed. "I'm going to beat myself for doing this, but I will need to speak to the entire advisory board. The Ambassador for New Kobol should be there as well. What I learned … it has wide consequences."

Sheridan saw that G'Kar was not happy in speaking about it. But if there were valid concerns, he would listen.

And so it was a few hours later, after Rebo and Zooty had been farewelled and the entire station was involved in recovering from the visit or the Day of the Dead that Sheridan's office saw a meeting of the most powerful members plus New Kobol.

Sheridan looked out at the others. "So. I hear that we had a very … interesting night last night. Most of you, from what I understand, had some very interesting experiences."

There were nods all around. Tory Foster looked distracted. Londo Mollari was jovial. G'Kar was annoyed.

"G'Kar asked me to bring you all together because what he experienced has relevance for the Alliance. G'Kar?"

G'Kar sighed and then looked for a long moment at Londo, who finally said, "What?" in an innocent tone.

G'Kar sighed again. "I was, perchance, in Captain Lochley's office when the agreement was made with the Brakiri. Having some sense of what would happen, I had moved to prevent it."

Sheridan asked, "So this isn't the first time this has happened?"

"No," G'Kar replied. "As I told Ambassador Foster and Captain Lochley, the Narn had heard tales of previous Days of the Dead. We knew of the tales of the Dead coming back. Often it was loved ones, friends. And, at times, enemies. The Narn consider interactions with the previously deceased to be a matter of extreme caution. I had resolved to ensure I was no where near the phenomenon. Until Ambassador Foster got involved."

Everyone looked at her. "I just asked him to tell me what he knew. And although I was skeptical, and Captain Lochley was dismissive of the actual possibility, my reaction was only that there was nothing to be afraid of by experiencing it. No tales of violence or death; only possible wisdom or possible dire warnings but nothing physically harmful. I pointed out that succumbing to fear was illogical."

G'Kar commented, "And she was right. I don't know what others experienced, but I was faced with, of all things, a former enemy."

Delenn, who had been listening intently, asked, "And who did you see?"

G'Kar looked at Londo and said, "Emperor Cartagia."

Londo looked completely astonished. "Cartagia? That madman?"

"Yes. That madman. And he was still quite put out with the Centauri people, you in particular, and Vir Cotto."

Sheridan asked, "Vir? What could he possible be upset with about Vir? Vir is as inoffensive a Centauri as you could possible find."

Londo, however, had looked worried. "Did he say why he was so upset with us?"

"Oh, yes. And I think it better that why he disliked Vir be a matter of concern for the Centauri only. Mollari knows why, and that should be enough."

Everyone looked at Londo, who was relieved. "Yes. It is enough. He did a _necessary_ thing, something which even now he regrets being necessary. I will only say that Vir was instrumental in the freeing of Narn, in the defeat of the Shadows upon Centauri Prime, their agent Mr. Morden, and even, in a way, with distracting the Vorlons sufficiently for your battle at Coriana. And although many would call for him to be killed for it out of misguided belief, it was a very _good_ thing."

G'Kar nodded. "And with that, I completely agree. It was a _very_ good thing."

Sheridan huffed. "Well, it sounds like an internal Centauri matter, so I won't ask for more details. But G'Kar. Go on. Tell us more of what you experienced."

G'Kar nodded. "Yes. Well, he was just as deluded in death as he was in life. You see, according to him, he remembered his death, and then the next moment, he was speaking to me. And when he saw me, he suddenly _knew_ things. He knew that the Drak have begun making plans to punish Mollari for what he did to the Shadows. And that, in the normal course of things, it would ensure that everyone hated the Centauri and they would be isolated from everyone else. This would, if nothing had changed, have ensured that the Centauri were ripe to be used by them."

Delenn asked, "If nothing had changed. That implies something has."

"Yes. You see, Cartagia was all for Centauri Prime and Mollari paying the price for not allowing themselves to be killed by the Vorlons as a tribute to his godhood. And he was upset that these new Humans would do something which would out the Drak efforts before they were ready for it to be known. Cartagia didn't know what, but he wanted to make certain to ask me to ensure the new Humans were kept out of it. To make certain the Drak plans would come to fruition."

Tory asked, "Us? But what could we possibly do? We're just rebuilding. We haven't even dealt with your people, Ambassador Mollari. And it is likely that we will have to concentrate on the Cylon sector soon which means that we won't be doing as much in the grand scheme of the galaxy."

Londo said, "I don't know, dear lady. But, if what has said is true, then the Centauri will owe you a great debt. I cannot imagine what it could be that you will do, but we can certainly watch out for it."

Delenn asked G'Kar, "Did he say what they would do?"

G'Kar, reluctantly, answered, "Actually. I think they have already done it."

Everyone looked at G'Kar. Tory asked, "And what have we done?"

G'Kar had a smile as he replied, "Who convinced me to sleep in my own quarters, this giving me the chance to hear this warning? Cartagia may have been trying to convince me to ensure that the Centauri, and Londo, were punished. But all he really did was alert me to the involvement of the Drak." G'kar gave a long sigh. "I was tempted. So very tempted. I could have said nothing. And maybe, by saying nothing, the situation would have meant those that raped my world would pay a price. But then I remembered something."

Delenn asked gently, "And what did you remember?"

G'Kar stared straight ahead. "Londo apologized to me. Unasked. Unlooked for. He was outraged on my behalf. He could not apologize for the Centauri, but he apologized for himself." He looked at Londo. "And that meant much to me. I could not, in good conscience, ignore it. And so, I could not, in good conscience all the Centauri to suffer for sins not their own." He added as a last jibe, "They have enough of them already to pay for."

Londo looked off in thought. His voice was soulful as he spoke. "I remember. It was at that meeting where we learned of these new Humans. I saw their Admiral, Adama. I saw his quiet dignity, his certitude in the face of possible destruction. I had been there, where he was, when the Vorlons were coming to destroy my people. I remember how, even when working to save my people, I still kept that selfish joy at 'getting over on' my enemies. And then. Then I met Adama."

Londo looked back at the others. "With all that had happened to him, to his people, he seemed to decide to keep to his _best_ self. To give up revenge. For the betterment of his people. I am a Centauri of Noble Blood, even Royal Blood. I will not be the first Mollari Emperor. And Adama reminded me of what it _means_ to be noble. Perhaps, if those he had led had suffered even further, if he had continued to lose even more, he would have lost a part of himself. Become what he hated. But I heard what that Narn said to you. Of Adama's words, of his deeds. And in that moment, I wanted to once again _feel_ noble. To remember what it was to be of the Blood. I wanted to once again be worthy of the Purple. And so I did something that I have never done before, or since. I apologized. And I meant it."

G'Kar nodded. "And that, perhaps, is the other thing that they have done. The galaxy is changed for their presence." He looked at Tory. "You represent a curious people, Ambassador Foster. Perhaps it will matter little in the end, but for my part, I am most heartily grateful that we have come to know you."

Sheridan and Delenn didn't want to break the mood – it was a far more hopeful mood than had been present before – but the circumstances required it. Delenn spoke. "Yes. Our Warrior Caste was also much influenced by your arrival. But we must get back to the matter at hand." She looked at Londo. "Your trip to Centauri Prime takes on new significance. You will have to look out for influences. But you can't say anything."

Londo asked, "What do you mean?"

"We do not know how the Drak are operating. They might even have ways of monitoring all that happens in the Palace. They left Zha'ha'dum and _disappeared_. Where did they go?"

Sheridan also had a thoughtful look. "I'm remembering something now."

Delenn asked, "What is it?"

Sheridan looked at Delenn. "Remember the mission to retrieve Babylon 4? How I was unstuck in time?"

Delenn nodded. The others were confused. Tory said, "What mission? I've never heard of Babylon 4."

Sheridan sighed and looked at the others. "What I'm going to tell you is a secret from the Shadow War. It doesn't mean much, in the grand order of things, but for a number of reasons, we have never told anyone who wasn't there. It has to do with how Babylon 4, this stations predecessor, disappeared – and why."

G'kar and Londo were astonished. Tory was interested. They listened with growing awe at what had happened, and what these two had experienced.

Tory finally said, "That is a great story. The kind of thing that sticks with you. But what does it have to do with out discussion?"

Sheridan said, "During the time I was unstuck, I appeared in different points in my life. So did the others. One of the things I experienced was a far future. I had been taken before Londo as Emperor. He was set to have me executed, along with Delenn. He said it was to pay for my crime of ignoring what had happened because of the my war with the Shadows and the Vorlons. I had forgotten about their allies. And because of it, Centauri Prime was burning. I was sent to the cells to await my fate."

Tory, listening, asked, "What happened next?"

He was putting effort to remembering, which showed on his face. "When I was brought back, Londo was …different. More like how he really is." He looked at Londo. "But you were drunk. You said to me, 'We all have our keepers.' And you were amused amused at how they couldn't hold their drink." Sheridan thought for a long moment more. Finally he said, "There was something on your shoulder, some type of growth, or parasite. You were careful about not waking it up. And so, with it incapacitated, you let me and Delenn go. You asked me to save your people. And then sent me off to the ship you had waiting."

Londo asked, "Why have I never heard of this? Why have you never spoken to me of it?"

Sheridan huffed. "Remember that back then, the Centauri were allies of the Shadows. I was still pissed with you. At the decisions you were making. And at the time of the mission, I had no idea of what was going on. I was more astonished at the fact I was married to Delenn, and had a son. This was before the end of the Shadow War, before I even went to Zha'ha'dum. There were other things of more immediate consequence. It was only G'Kar talking about a plan to isolate the Centauri which even prodded me to remember it."

Delenn then gasped. "Mars!"

Everyone looked at her. "What about Mars?"

Delenn looked at Sheridan. "When Marcus and Stephen returned from Mars, he made a full report to me, in my role of En'til'zha', about what had happened. He made a passing comment about a man that had been controlled which almost got him and Stephen killed. What you just said was very much like what he described to me." She paused. "I don't even know why I didn't get more details."

"Can we ask him about it?" Sheridan asked.

"Marcus is acting as a Training Officer back on Minbar and watching over Ranger facilities being built on various worlds. It would take too long to get him here. Londo has to leave soon – he has already put off his departure and it might give signal to someone paying attention if he put it off again."

"But Stephen was there," Sheridan said with a triumphant voice. He hit his link. "Sheridan to Dr. Franklin."

When Franklin showed up and was asked for details about Captain Jack, he gave as much information as he could remember. Those present thanked him and sent him off.

Delenn said, "It sounds exactly like what you described in that future memory."

Londo looked frightened. "This does not bode well for my future. Or the future of my people. I am going to be entering, as you Humans say, the belly of the beast. If these things are already present … it could go very badly for me."

Delenn looked at Londo for a long moment. She then asked John, "The Shadows weren't telepathic were they? When you went to Zha'ha'dum, they didn't know what you were thinking?"

"No," he said. "If they knew my backup plans, they would never have allowed me to get so close."

"So it's unlikely their allies are telepathic either." She looked at Londo and G'Kar. "What would you two say if I suggested a safeguard?"

G'Kar and Londo were wary. G'Kar asked, "What do you have in mind?"

Delenn said in a serious tone, "You have to go the Centauri Prime. We can't avoid it. While you are there, you might see things. If you are somehow interrogated, it might be that they might find out that we have an idea of what is happening. I want to suggest that we bring Lyta in. Ask her to put in a block, if at all possible, to hide the information. A block from speaking about it if possible, or a temporary block in remembering it if necessary. And when you come back, we remove the block and you correlate what you know now with what you find out."

Londo said, "Such a thing is … it goes against all that I am to submit to such a thing. Any Centauri noble, especially one in my positions, would refuse."

"Which is why they will not expect it," Delenn replied earnestly.

Londo sat and thought for a long moment. The rest gave him time.

Finally, he looked at Delenn. "You are asking much of me." He looked at Sheridan and then back to her. "But if what he remembers is true, than this is less bad than what is in store for me, and my people, if we do nothing. If this will save my people …." He hesitated for another long moment. Finally his face took on a look of resolve. "Call your telepath. Let us see what we can do."

It was a solemn group that Lyta found when she arrived to the President's office.


	11. Centauri Prime, New Kobol

G'Kar and Londo had both been given a neural block. They still were aware of what they knew, but they could not speak of it. The block would be removed when they returned to Babylon 5. It was keyed to Sheridan's voice specifically, and the password was "Dalai Lama."

The reason for it was that there was a recording in almost any archive from the past years, of Sheridan speaking those words during an interview. Even if Sheridan disappeared, removing the block only required playing back the recording.

It was obscure enough to not be guessed and available enough to be gotten around if needed.

And so the two erstwhile enemies got on the transport and made their way to Centauri Prime.

* * *

Just after, the Battlestar Eternal arrived to Babylon 5 and Tory Foster was transported over. Because the Phoenix was, at the moment, being used to house telepath refugees as needed, Tory did not want to take the transport off the station.

She left the marine platoon behind and authorization for Sergeant Demos to act, in an emergency fashion and subject to approval, in her place.

She was quickly transported off of Eternal and onto Lobo Negro when she arrived.

As she waited for the various senior military members who would travel with her to finish their arrangements, she looked out at the Battlestar Galactica, sitting docked with the station. She asked the officer standing with her, "How is she doing?" Her nod toward the Galactica was indicative.

The man recognized her and knew that she had clearance. "She's going really well. We had to strip out a few original pieces that were found defective but the replacements were created and installed. The Minbari helped to tweak our smelting, refinery, and forging operations. Using already refined materials from salvage meant that forming the new pieces took half the time. The original plan was seven months. But that plan included cautiously leaving the keel intact and undisturbed. When we found she needed even that repaired, they were a lot less cautious and time consuming in the deconstruction phase. It meant more but _easier_ work. Faster."

"How long?" she asked.

"Well, it's been four months now. Earth Alliance has shared a few specs. So we're installing rail gun drivers which will allow the main guns to fire their rounds 50 percent faster than the old systems. But they also had to replace the barrels – the old ones couldn't take the pressure. That's added some time. But the keel is already repaired. So we think that we'll be done in a month … a month and a half at the most."

Tory considered it. "It sounds quite wonderful. I look forward to seeing what she can do."

"She's going to live up to her title as the Grand Lady of the Fleet. Captain Ivanova from Earthforce said that was fine as long as she could be a Royal Bitch when needed. She had to explain the term. We wanted to be offended, but Admiral Adama found it quite … descriptive."

Tory chuckled. "That matches up to the woman I met on Babylon 5."

The man said, "Yes. She's … unique. She's like a mixture between Admiral Adama at his most dignified and Captain Thrace at her most outrageous. It makes for an interesting mix."

"I can just imagine what it would be like to work for her."

The man grinned. "Probably makes for an exciting assignment."

Londo welcomed his old friend into his suite in the Royal Palace.

* * *

As Jano passed on the gossip of the Royal Court and his concerns at Regent Virini's actions, Londo, inside, was becoming more and more afraid. Everything that Jano had uncovered pointed to Minister Virini being under control of the same type of parasite that they had spoken about on Babylon 5.

When he was finally certain, he knew he had to act. And he had to act now.

He allowed a change to come over his face.

Jano, who was still talking, suddenly became alarmed. "What is it, Londo?"

In a faux dignified way, he walked over and wrote out a note. He then stalked over and slammed it into Jano's hands.

Jano's alarm was completely unfeigned.

"You must remember. It is _Prime Minister Mollari_," he said in an angry tone. "I allow much because we _were_ friends, but you poking your hair into things that are not your concern…" His voice changed to a villian's monologue tone. "There is a price that has to be paid." He raised his voice. "GUARDS!"

G'Kar rushed in. "What is it?"

In a hate-fileld tone, Londo said, "Call for the Royal Guards posted nearby."

Jano raised the paper, a questioning tone in his expression.

When G'Kar returned with two guards, Londo spoke while staring into his face. "Lord Jano," Londo's voice showed his contempt, "has involved himself where he should not have. It is not for any of us to question the Regent and his decisions." He spoke to the guards. "You will come with us as we escort Jano back to his ship. He will then enter it and take off. He has been assigned to the Farming Colony at Turkata 4. As he supervises our most distant outpost, he will have time to contemplate the error of his ways. You will tell no one of this except the Regent." Londo looked at the guards. "Inform the regent so that he may know my loyalty to him and that I can be counted on to act in the interest of Centauri as he sees it."

Londo looked back at Jano. "Do you have any questions before you begin your _new assignment_?"

Jano crumpled the paper in his hand and then tore it up. "This is exile!"

In amusement Londo said, "Destroying it does not change the fact that I ordered it." And then in a more menacing tone. "Do you understand what I have ordered you to do and will you comply?"

Jano suddenly looked defeated. "Yes. I understand, _Prime Minister_." The title was given in an ironic tone.

Londo said, "Let's go. I will ensure that you aren't _distracted_ by any inopportune chances to gossip, to involve others with your … observations of the court."

Londo strode out of the room and directly to the place where the Nobles kept their shuttles. Before he entered Londo said, "And remember. If I hear that you have returned before the Regent or myself have ordered it, there will a much heavier price to pay for your indiscretions."

"I understand, Prime Minister." Jano's voice was filled with hatred.

Londo watched with nervous satisfaction as the shuttle disappeared into the sky.

Even as Jano piloted his shuttle, he contemplated the note he had destroyed in Londo's quarters. And it worried him greatly.

_(Centauri High Script, only used for Noble House records read by noble sons)_

_Great danger_

_Go Babylon 5. Tell Sheridan._

_Once read, destroy as though angry. Protest this is exile. sullenly accept. You must escape._

The Drak looked at the Regent and said, "He is a threat."

The Regent replied in his defeated tone, "No longer. Londo's loyalty to me took care of it." There was heavy irony in his tone.

The Drak considered that. The Drak pulled a device out of his pocket and manipulated it. He then showed the Regent the screen. "What is this?"

The Regent was shocked when he read what was on the screen. He carefully did not allow his face to change. "This order is exile. He will no longer be a factor in the Royal Court."

The Drak considered it. Finally, he said, "Good. You will have one hour free."

As Virini watched the Drak disappear into the hidden wall, he felt, for the first time since his ordeal began, hope. He only wished he would have been able to live to see the Drak defeated and run off of Centauri Prime. An impossible dream, as things were.

* * *

Tory Foster sat near Laura Roslin in the meeting. As Secretary of Education, she wasn't actually required. But her past history as President and what she had led the survivors through prompted Tory to ask if she could attend.

The two women had a somewhat enjoyable time catching up.

President Grazier was also present, along with his vice president. The Chairman and the Fleet Admiral were there. Lyta Alexander, a part of Military Intelligence, was available as she had finished ensuring the telepaths had been situated. By request, the other members of the "Final Five" had also been gathered and were present.

President Grazier started off the meeting. "For the first order of business, I want to welcome back Ambassador Foster from Babylon 5. Regardless of why she has come, which she got approval for, it is the first time she has been able to visit New Kobol since the political structure and population placement has begun to become fully stabilized. What do you think?"

Tory said with no hesitation, "It seems wonderful from what I've seen. It's starting to look more like home. But better."

Grazier nodded. "That's good. We've tried to recreate the best parts of what we had while leaving the worst parts in our past." He paused. "Now. For the reason you were all called here. Ambassador Foster has a very unusual report. When she called me to tell me some of the details, I was skeptical. I contacted President Sheridan of the Alliance and a few other friends of New Kobol and verified, as best I could, that what she describes is actually possible – despite how utterly fantastical it seems to be. So, I ask you all to listen with an open mind." He looked around. Everyone looked agreeable. "Ambassador Foster."

Tory stood up and walked forward. "Recently, Babylon 5 hosted a religious festival sponsored by a member of the Interstellar Alliance, the Brakiri of the Brakiri Syndicracy. They are a fairly mercantile race, and in most cases are most disinterested in religious observance. However, they have something called 'The Day of the Dead.'

"Curiously, in studying Earth culture and history, there is a part of Earth called Mexico which also has a Day of the Dead, a festival which involves praying for your ancestors, honoring them, leaving foods and beverages and gifts at the graves of the departed. This is an official annual holiday in that part of Earth. It is a holdover from the religious observances from a native culture from that area. No one, I believe, truly expects the dead to rise and visit, though many Earth religions have some sort of belief in the idea.

She sighed. "I'm sorry, I've spent a but of time since my experience studying the subject. This is so far out of our own beliefs that I thought it fascinating. Anyway. As to my experience."

She looked at those listening. "The Brakiri, like many Aliens, do not worship Gods as such. Although they have divine beings in their beliefs, for the most part, they revere the universe as, almost, a collective consciousness. The Drazi, for example, like to say, the Universe, Through Us, … and so forth. And so they view the natural occurrences as having religious significance. And so it is with the Brakiri.

"The Brakiri home system has a single comet. It returns every two hundred years. And for the Brakiri, its arrival signals to coming of the Day of the Dead. One day, or rather night because they are a night-dwelling species, every two hundred years signals the night that the dead can come back and visit the living. Those that return can be family, friends, enemies. And there is no guarantee of who will visit."

She looked around. "I see you all look skeptical. I was too. G'Kar, the Narn Ambassador, however, was extremely cautious. The Narn, in the course of researching other races for prospective business partners, found descriptions of this. And too many tales that it actually occurs. The Narn, as a species, find the concept of speaking to the dead to be something that should be approached with great trepidation and caution. In speaking to him I thought it odd. Anyway, I passed on my opinion that it would be interesting to experience. Though I was skeptical that it would actually occur.

"The Brakiri, to accommodate their people who are not in their home system, bought a portion of the station for the night which correlated with the Brakiri observance. It was important to them, and I supported Captain Lochley's decision to respect their beliefs. And then I went to my quarters for the night, which was within the Brakiri area.

"I was not expecting anything to actually happen. But, as happened with many, many people I spoke with. I was visited by someone who has passed away. It was an unnerving experience."

Adama was skeptical and it was obvious. He asked, "Who visited you?"

Tory looked at him and said with some irony, "A man named Daniel who claimed to be, in a way, my child."

Everyone in the room, save Grazier who had been told, were shocked. Laura asked, "But you've never had children."

Tory gave a chuckle, though it contained no amusement. "Let me explain." She looked at them all and asked, "All are aware that I was found to be a Humanform Cylon." There were nods. "And along with these others," she motioned toward the other four, "we were found to be different than the other models which have several copies of them. Is that correct?"

There were nods and murmurs of agreement. "Well, there was a supposition, after we learned of the concept of 'Death of Personality' as a sentence to replace the Death Penalty in Earth Alliance. The Death of Personality involved erasing the memories of a convict and replacing them with a personality that is driven toward serving others. It is considered more humane than killing them. Lyta, upon seeing how different we were when we were found, guessed that we suffered a similar fate."

She turned to Lyta and said, "And according to Daniel, Cylon Model Number Seven, killed by the Model One, Cavil, you were absolutely correct."

Everyone in the room was in complete shock at that statement. Adama said, "You claim that you were visited by a dead Cylon."

"Yes. And if you ask Lyta, she can verify I am speaking to the truth. I am willing for her to scan me."

Everyone looked at Lyta who was focusing on Tory. "She is speaking the truth, or what she considers the truth."

Tory looked at Lyta and then at Adama and asked, "Can she do as she once did and after taking my memory of what happened, pass it on to everyone here?"

Adama considered her for a long moment, raising his head and cocking his eye as he considered that request. Finally he turned his head to look at Lyta who, after a moment, gave him a small, imperceptible nod. Moreover, she sent a sense of agreement. He looked back and said, "If Colonel Alexander is willing."

Lyta stood and walked over. "This will be a deeper scan than just checking veracity."

Tory smiled. "I remember from the original interrogation when I was found to be a Cylon."

Lyta nodded. "Try not to resist as that could be painful."

Tony was dismissive. "It's not a problem. I requested it."

Lyta shrugged. "Concentrate on the memories you want passed." Tory nodded.

Lyta concentrated for a long few moments as Tory thought of her experiences. After a moment, Lyta's eyes opened widely. "That's strange."

"What's strange?" Adama asked.

She turned. "I can get the entire memory, but not the image of the person speaking. The voice is there, a sense of the presence, but I cannot 'see' the person speaking. It's … it's the strangest memory I've ever seen in any mind."

Adama asked, "But otherwise it's a real memory?"

"Oh, yes. I would recognize if it was a construction or an imagined memory. It's a real memory. With a real voice. There is just no image to lock on to."

Adama said, "Well, then if you would let us all see …."

Lyta nodded. First, she quickly drained an electrolyte bottle she kept on hand as ordered by medical personnel. Her superior, Adama, had been very clear that her health was a priority. She then turned and said, "I will begin passing it on … now."

All watched as her eyes changed to a black color and then each person present "remembered" the memory and associated emotions and reactions.

All present were stunned at what had been revealed.

Colonel Tigh had a question. "I thought you said that you couldn't see this Cylon Number Seven."

Lyta said, "That's right."

"Well, somehow, I got the image of him." He looked at the other Final Five. "How about you?"

Ellen, Anders, and Tyrol all indicated that they hadn't had any problem seeing the visitor.

Adama said, "It might have something to do with you actually having locked memories of him. Your minds associate the voice with the face. But that's not important." He looked at the other officials. "Suddenly, the reasons the Cylons agreed to the original armistice become known." He had a thoughtful look. "I had always wondered why they suddenly volunteered a cease-fire."

One of the younger officers present asked, "It wasn't because of losses?"

Adama said, "No. Even if we were making them bleed, we had no control over their ability to replace their numbers. They could have held us off until they replaced the infrastructure needed to build more raiders and centurions. Instead – they just disappeared. Nothing. No word. No contact. I never thought we had won."

Ellen was the most shocked. "To find that I was the cause of the destruction of the colonies …"

Saul asked harshly, "How do you figure that?"

"Daniel said John was jealous of how I favored him. That's what started it all."

Tory snorted and said, "You're deluding yourself. We were biological even if we were Cylons, and we are the children of humanity. There is always a percentage of people that are fundamentally flawed, even when parents and society does everything right. He's a psychopath. If it wasn't this, it would have been something else. You can't blame yourself. You should take joy in that we stopped the first war and that we did have children who believed as we taught them, at least according to Daniel."

Adama spoke. "Saul's right. You did what you could. If it was just about Humans, Lee's message about Terra being filled with Humanform Cylons and not Humans would have prevented their destruction. It didn't change a thing. He still destroyed it. The John who started it all – he just hates everything. Probably hates himself. He's just looking for someone strong enough to come up against who can actually destroy him."

Dr. Grazier had listened and this comment he had an answer for. "I say we give him that. We can't leave the Cylon threat to work itself out. They have a Civil disagreement. From what we know, the Cavil running the show is hiding things from all the other Cylons. I think it's time we work to ensure this gets back to them."

Admiral Turner asked, "And how could we do that?"

"We have that one Cavil who changed his mind after living with the resistance?"

"We do, Mr. President," Lyta said. "I verified what he said was true – he truly has changed his stance from the one held by most of the Model Ones."

He looked at Tory. "Did you find out the song that Daniel was talking about?"

Tory's eyes lit up. "Yes. Michael Garibaldi on Babylon 5 helped me track it down. He's a fan of Earth 20th Century entertainment. That was when the song became known on Earth. It's called 'All Along the Watchtower' made famous by someone called Jimmy Hendrix who according to Mr. Garibaldi was one of the best musicians for his instrument in history. He played the electric guitar."

"They have guitars like ours?" Laura asked.

"Yes. From the database records, they are almost identical to what we knew in the Colonies."

"Wow," Laura said. "I guess I'll be researching for music education, both Kobol and Earth. I wonder how many other things we have in common."

Grazier waved that off. "That's for another time. I say we bring the Cavil unit here and have him read off these lyrics. Let's figure out what Cavil is trying to hide from his parents and his other fellow Cylons."

No one in the room protested. Adama said, "It will take some time – he is on the Rising Star and that is orbiting another planet in the system, away from New Kobol. Security procedures and all – let's set it up for the morning."

Grazier looked around. "Very well. Tomorrow morning. I expect you all to return." He looked at Adama. "We might want to arrange for all the Cylon prisoners to hear the results. Let's see what happens."

Adama looked at him and finally said, "You're the President. I serve at your pleasure. I'll have them all here under guard."

"Thank you."

Grazier turned to Turner. "What do you think about asking the Quorum and the Senate to also hear?"

Turner considered it and then huffed. "If we're going to pass on secrets, maybe we should broadcast it." His tone was slightly tongue-in-cheek.

Grazier considered that. "You know? I think the truth getting out would be good for all of our people. There are some resentments between people from the Colonies and people from Terra. The word about their historical Cylon nature is making people wary. Let's put the blame where it belongs – straight on this Cavil character."

Roslin, who has been listening, said, "Oh, Lords of Kobol. You'd better have a pretty good speech planned for after. Because this could be explosive." She paused and then said, "But you're right. As Tory could attest, I was pretty unforgiving toward any Cylon during our escape. But my hatred over what happened is suddenly much more focused toward who I know see is the true enemy. And it's not the Centurions or the other Cylons models. They're just tools. It's Cavil who is the true enemy. Like Clark for Earth. Some helped willingly or unwillingly, but he was the one who was at the center of the web. I just hope that taking him out like Clark was taken out has the same result for our people and the other Cylons."

"We can only hope."


	12. Information, Public and Secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started out with "the meeting happened at the Delphic Theater" which then spun out into a huge number of chapters covering New Kobol establishing themselves and the laws, procedures, and institutions put into place. So, I left all that at the beginning and continued the linear progression after.
> 
> Oh. And the reviewer who pointed out that I've not said much of Marcus and Susan has an absolute point. What I planned on writing about when I started this morphed into a far, far different story.
> 
> I wanted to write about the effect on Marcus and Susan and Sheridan and Lyta and Adama and Roslin. But then, as I wrote it, I realized that the true changes from canon would be: How do the survivors deal with re-establishing themselves? What effects do they have on interstellar politics? How would the Cylon-Human conflict change and evolve?
> 
> There are so many things which occurred in Babylon 5 which were flashpoints the characters never noticed because there was no one there to point it out. And yet, Tory Foster, for some reason, has emerged almost as the main protagonist. Lyta has major effects, far different than canon. Adama is there, but other military members have greater effects.
> 
> To keep it somewhat coherent, I have had to go into many things I never planned on going into. I do plan on eventually including them. But it will likely be a while.

The Minbari worker caste members helping New Kobol with building infrastructure necessary for civilization had taken much inspiration from every historical reference that could be gleaned about Earth's Hellenic period. Considering that their ancestors had been taken from the area, they felt it was more appropriate than using Minbari-based designs. They also studied all available references from Kobol and the Colonies.

One item that they had come across was the idea of a place where a large number of people could attend to watch performances, historical recitations, general announcements, and any other thing needing room for a very large number of attendees. While there would be a large indoor theatre built, they had concentrated upon outside areas first.

Seeing the archaeological records of the various ancient theatres, they had picked the Theatre of Delphi as the inspiration for the first one built. Like its namesake, the Delphic Theatre was an acropolis, and was situated behind a temple dedicated to Apollo, one of the Lords of Kobol.

Acoustically, one could stand and speak without any device for sound reinforcement and almost the entire audience could hear. There was reinforcement built in but it was minimal and only because not everything could be done from the acoustic spot which most efficiently went to the entire audience.

New Kobol residents were very interested in rebuilding their lives. And while many, many survivors had expert training in one thing or another, many survivors were just those who worked whatever job was available to support themselves. The Minbari worker caste members who had come were also not experienced with working in stone – Minbari construction leaned heavily toward the crystalline materials readily available on Minbar.

The entire effort was assisted by the fact that Humans liked to know everything. Humans from Earth had entire recordings, over hundreds of years, of entertainment programs consisting entirely on recapturing knowledge on how things were done by the ancients. This was, to the Minbari, an entirely alien concept.

People from Terra and New Kobol, however, found the idea entirely consistent with their own history and societal norms. One company, created by survivors who had worked in broadcasting on the Colonies, was entirely involved in adding translation to Earth educational programming and preparing them for broadcast. Other companies were involved with ensuring broadcast and broadcast reception infrastructure was fully instituted on New Kobol.

In addition, the government, recognizing that there was a need to ensure their society's history was preserved, was using every means they had to ensure they didn't lose their identity. Missions for the Fleet with some civilian members were planned to jump to the Colonies and recover surviving libraries, government records, broadcast records, and any other thing that could be salvaged to ensure continuity for their civilization. In addition, anything recoverable in terms of machinery, tools, money, and other resources was also included.

It was to be an expensive undertaking. The residents of New Kobol were returning to private ownership and an active economy. During the exodus, anything useful had been appropriated for the Fleet. The government was now required to pay private corporations which had sprung up to take care of mining, manufacture, health care, and even education.

By agreement in the Senate, all functions traditionally the sphere of private industry had to be divested from government control within six years of the ratification of the New Kobol Constitution. It was recognized that return to private ownership could result in necessary functions being affected. Even though ownership was private, there were extraordinary regulations ensuring the government could intervene. These were to be rescinded within ten years of constitution.

After that, it would be sink or swim for private citizens, much as it was before the Fall. However, no one was allowed to starve – the New Kobol government had a healthy interest in ensuring citizens were given every chance. Incentives were instituted for citizens to marry and have children.

Abortion was not outlawed, but was only allowed when the health of the mother was at risk. Government programs incentivizing adoption was another creation of the Senate with the full backing of the population. Not every child who had been saved had come with a stable family unit. The government had a vested interest in ensuring that youths were educated and made valuable members of society.

All laws which treated children as property were prohibited, despite the Gemenon and Sagitarron representatives protesting. Gemenon culture in particular had been strictly fundamentalist and, as such, children had been completely controlled by parents. They had been, in effect, property until they reached the age of majority. Such was the teachings of the Sacred Scrolls.

Cultural and/or religious beliefs notwithstanding, children were now considered too important. Laws against the exploitation of children included harsh penalties. Education was compulsory for ages 5 to 14, a right for those ages 15 to 18 (Roslin's lobbying to make it compulsory to age 18 had failed), and considered desirable to go on to college or university. There would be no child prostitutes, laborers, or anything other than students and apprentices. And while many of these laws had been in place on (most of) the Colonies, enforcement had never been so much a priority as it was now.

Though it was controversial, all citizens were required to learn Earth English as the universal language of interstellar trade and diplomacy in addition to New Kobol standard, formerly Caprican standard. Each colony had their own language or dialect or even several, but Caprican standard was considered the most universal. Even Modern Terran had not been too dissimilar.

Military service was not considered mandatory (Terran Law had required it but Colonial law never had). All citizens were encouraged to serve for a two to four year enlistment. The New Kobol Military Academy, once fully operational, would teach those who were attempting to be officers for both the Fleet and the Marines.

* * *

The meeting the following day was held in the newly built Delphic Theatre.

Grazier's order for all Cylon prisoners to be present required a lot of effort for security. The newly constituted New Kobol police force was responsible for ensuring no one approached them. The Cylons themselves were brought in and watched by marines as they were considered prisoners of war. There was empty space around them.

The Senate was there in full, as was the entire Quorum. The Chief Judge, the Libran representative, had led the other Twelve, including the Ophiuchus representative, who was a Terran who had been a Western Alliance lawyer who had originally been an escapee from the Eastern Alliance, persecuted for his positions against Eastern Alliance legal practices.

Representatives from the Temples were present. There had been a dearth of surviving priests and priestesses. As a result, many of the new members of the clergy were under training.

An announcement having been made, the Dephic Theater was full. Half the remaining seats contained members of the military, the other half civilians.

President Grazier was introduced and came to the podium.

"Hello to the citizens of New Kobol. I have brought this together for a few reasons. We have begun rebuilding our civilization after our flight from the Colonies of Kobol, Terra, and even from the planet that our Sacred Scrolls called Earth – which is not the Earth which we have since verified is the actual cradle of the Human race. We've told many people what has been found. Other things we have not particularly emphasized. But we have now put together a timeline which explains much of our history for the last six thousand years, since our ancestors were brought together on Earth, the actual place our ancestors first evolved.

"Some of this contradicts our Sacred Scrolls. I apologize but in the face of evidence and eye witness testimony, or at least reliable hearsay, we have to open our eyes to who we are, and how we got here.

"Now. For some of this, we have the statements of an Earth telepath programmed by Vorlons with racial memories. The Vorlons were the ancient race which brought gathered us on Earth and originally took us to Kobol, posing as Lords of Kobol. Were they actually the beings that we call the Lords of Kobol? I don't know. But what was left with the woman who now has given oath to New Kobol and our people cannot be refuted – there is far, far too much evidence that she speaks the truth.

"We also have Humanform Cylons who, according to what we have found, originally lived on Earth – the planet referred to the Thirteenth Tribe of Kobol. We have since found that this Thirteenth Tribe were actually the first Humanform Cylons, and the survivors are the five who convinced the Cylons, 40 years ago and more, to give up attacking the Human Colonials. They brought the end of the first Cylon war, though we weren't told at that time. The Five had promised the Cylons that they would help give them Humanform bodies if they left the Colonies alone. They kept their promise.

"We have recently found, however, that the Five had their memories locked and then were sent by a traitor to the other Humanform Cylons to die with the Humans they loved so much.

"We have now found how to reverse this lock. Once this is done, we will cover in detail everything I have just spoke of. We will give us all back a record of our history. We will find out the reasons we were taken from Earth, the reasons why Athena truly died right after our exodus from Kobol, details of how we got where we are today.

"Much of what we thought we knew from the Sacred Scrolls we have verified as true. Other things we have verified as myth. And still other things we have verified as misinterpreted.

"It is time, now that we are safe, to truly account for ourselves, with ourselves, and with representatives of the people who drove us from the Colonies, from Terra, and from Copernicus. It is time for truth.

"And then it will be time to being to redress the mistakes, to bandage the wounds, and to make plans as to how we will move into the future. We will learn. We will live. And we will flourish." He bowed his head and then raised it. In a loud voice he called out, "So say we all!" The last was echoed out by those present.

Grazier then looked up. "We will begin with a history explanation. Our ancestors were taken from Earth by an Alien race called Vorlons. Who they were should be understood. A guest as agreed to explain it."

A religious caste Minbari got up and explained the Vorlon/Shadow war and its history. She had contacted Delenn the night before over Stellarcom and ensured that the explanation given included much not widely known but not particularly confidential.

"Thank you." He nodded respectfully and then addressed the audience again. "This leads to a recording of a conversation which occurred during the interrogation of the five who are known to the Cylons as the Final Five. To ensure that nothing was lost, these recordings were made during the proceedings. This interrogation included Lyta Alexander, a telepath from Earth who was later made into a Colonial officer, scanning Saul Tigh to ensure that he was telling the truth. Colonel Alexander was, at the time, living on Babylon 5. She had formerly worked for the Vorlons, ancient Aliens who were responsible to teach the younger races and to ensure that we evolved well. They left her with triggers for memories that they implanted, only to be revealed under certain circumstances. The first time she touched the mind of Saul Tigh, one of the memories was triggered."

Grazier sat down and hit a control. A holographic recording played above the stage, its sound content played out to the theater.

On it, the interrogation of Saul Tigh was shown. In it, it is obvious that Tigh had no understanding of his nature as a Cylon. The moment Lyta scanned him, her face changed and a light came out from her eyes.

Her words had been otherworldly. The sound had been muted and a translation was played. The translation was the one spoken by Marcus when it had occurred.

The information about Kobol, originally Kobolus, was stunning to those listening. Included was the death of Athena, ensuring that no others could find them and use them.

And so, despite the figure of Athena being revealed as a Vorlon, it was still obvious that Athena _had_ died for them.

Susan Ivanova, who also had been invited, then gave a fairly rough explanation of Earth's history, and then she gave a more detailed history of the last several years. As Sheridan's second in command, she had more information than most as to what had occurred. She included information on how the Shadows had manipulated Earthgov and had isolated Earth from the other races, save Babylon 5 and those who sided with the other races.

"Thank you, Captain Ivanova." She nodded in acknowledgement and sat down. Grazier then addressed the audience again. "Recently, and it is far too fantastic a means to be believed, one of these Final Five achieved intelligence regarding the Cylon Empire and exactly how and why the Cylons agreed to an armistice, and then forty years later came back and destroyed the Colonies in one day. This was Tory Foster, Ambassador-at-Large for New Kobol to Babylon 5. Ms. Foster."

Tory explained what she had found about the history of the Cylons for the last forty two years. She included how the Final Five had come from the Cylon Earth and had convinced the Cylons to stop fighting in exchange for providing the technology to resurrect and to achieve Humanform models. They had provided, but one model, Cavil, had become jealous and decided to move the Cylon collective to destroy the colonies.

"And though our memories were suppressed and we were sent to the Colonies so that we could die with you, we somehow ended up surviving. And we now have found out how to release the memories locked away from us. One of the Cavil model Cylons has repented his model's decision to destroy all Humans. The password to release our memories requires one of his model reading a particular set of lyrics. We have found these lyrics. The repenting Cavil has agreed to read the passage. Colonel Alexander will verify it worked, and then we will find out what is being hidden."

Grazier stood up. "Bring the repenting Cavil."

Cavil was brought from his place in the audience and he faced the audience. HE turned his head. "Mr. President. May I speak?"

Grazier took a long look and finally said, "Quickly."

Cavil nodded. He turned back to the audience. "Although nothing can chance history, I personally want to apologize to all of you for the crimes against Humanity committed by the Cylons as led by my Model. It is a crime against God, and it should never have happened."

There were various sounds but the audience kept themselves controlled. "Thank you, for little it means to most of us. At least one of you recognizes the truth of that. Now. If the rest of the Final Five Cylon models will come up to join Ms. Foster, we will attempt to release your memories."

Tigh led the others up to the stage. Five very large chairs were brought, sufficiently soft enough for whatever to happen. Cavil took the sheet of words and asked, "Are you ready?"

Tigh looked at Cavil and then stood up. "I need several armed Colonial marines here. At least a squad."

Adama immediately understood and quietly told the other high-ranked officers what was happening. He gave a nod to his Exec – he agreed.

When the squad arrived Saul gave an order. "We're going to attempt to remove blocks for our memories. But despite what everyone is saying, we are Cylons. And that means that we will take no chance that we will become destructive. If we suddenly become violent, you are ordered to ensure that we are kept from harming anyone else. If necessary, you will kill any of us who refuse to back down. Is that understood?"

The sergeant glanced over to General Clemente, Commandant of the Marines. He nodded. The Sergeant then replied, "Yes, Colonel. We understand."

"Good." Tigh sat down and then said, "Now we're ready," he said to Cavil in a satisfied voice.

Cavil nodded. "Okay. I will speak this in Caprican standard as that's the language the Collective uses." He read out the lyrics.

Lyta Alexander had been monitoring. When the last word was spoken, she felt the change. "It's working!"

The Five Cylons had all grabbed their heads. All Five fell unconscious.

Grazier asked, "What happened?"

Lyta turned and said, "They each had a massive number of memories suddenly return. It was overwhelming. They are okay – but should not be manually awoken. You should let them come to naturally. Or at least wait until the mental action quiets down significantly."

"Please monitor them." He turned to the audience. "We will all take a break. Consider what you have learned so far. We will return in one hour."

* * *

It had taken about ten minutes for the flood of memories to integrate. The Final Five had begun coming around within a couple of minutes of that.

With Grazier sitting in the background, the Final Five began to correlate what they had remembered.

Tory and Galen were the most out of sorts. They immediately remembered that they had been engaged to marry for essentially the last two thousand years.

Tory finally asked, "What do we do about it?"

Ellen and Saul listened. Galen was confused. "I don't know. Despite having these shared memories, we were made into different people than we were. We've changed. Ellen and Saul no longer work as a couple. Maybe we don't either. Should we try? Should we move more toward what we are now?" He finally looked at her and asked, "What do you think?"

Tory looked at Galen for a long moment. She then stood up and walked away. Sam Anders quietly said, "You don't have to be an asshole about it. We all remember how much you loved each other. How can you just give that up?"

Galen looked defeated. A voice intruded. "No. You can't put this all on him." The four looked and saw that Tory had returned. "Galen's uncertainty is just a reflection of what we've experienced. And what else can we be but a product of our lives? We're all comrades. Friends. Fellow survivors. Nothing can change that. But even now I'm thinking about how this will effect my job on Babylon 5, which I truly love. Galen is probably worrying how this will effect his relationship with Cally Foster, who he's had a sweet spot for since they started working together." She turned to Saul and Tigh. "Can you two say that you truly love each other the same way as you did during the Fall of Earth, our Earth?"

Saul and Ellen looked at each other. Ellen truly wanted to be vindictive and petty but finally said, "No. You're right. Just being married isn't enough. We're different people. Partly because John forced it on us, but we have to consider: Would we have stayed married if Earth hadn't suffered destruction in a civil war between mechanicals and Humanforms? The truth …" She looked at Saul.

Saul gave a dark chuckle. "Yeah. I'm glad I remember now. But we've always had that bit of friction. We used to think it was a part of being married. But we've seen happy couples. There is friction there … but it isn't the same. I'd be willing to try to work it out. But I don't have that burning need to do so."

Ellen gave a huffing sigh. "I still hate it when you are speaking more sense than me – I prefer winning our arguments and being right."

Grazier, who had been listening, laughed.

"What's so funny?" Ellen asked.

"Oh. I was just reflecting that you still argue like a married couple, regardless of whatever else is going on. I've been married. _No_ wife likes losing an argument with her husband, especially when he does it trying to be reasonable. Most wives consider that tactic inherently unfair, even when and sometimes especially if the wife is more intelligent or rational than the husband."

Ellen didn't look impressed. "I've always been smarter than him."

Saul chuckled again. "True. But it's not like I was any slouch. I did just as much of the resurrection project as you did. In fact, we needed all five of us, even if you made the final leap."

Ellen huffed again and then, after a pause, chuckled. "True." She looked at Saul. "Want to give it a try? See if makeup sex is as good as it used to be?"

Saul considered it. "Well, we're not seeing anyone else right now, are we?"

"No. We're not."

Saul shrugged. "Let's see where it goes."

Galen looked at the two and then to Tory. "What about us?"

Tory looked at Galen. "No. I think we're too distant. If it's meant to be, we'll figure it out. But currently? It was fun, but I don't feel the burning need to fix it. Do you?"

"No. You're right. We can talk again in a few months."

"Good."

Sam Anders finally piped up, "Now that that's settled, what do we do about our memories?"

Ellen asked, "You remember the Temple of the Five?"

The other four nodded. Grazier asked, "What is this Temple?"

Saul turned to him. "It's a temple built by our ancestors three or four thousand years ago. There is a mention of it in the Colonial Sacred Scrolls. We stopped at the temple on the way from Earth back to the Colonies. Even though Earth was polytheistic, there was a religion which worshipped a single Creator, 'the one whose name cannot be spoken.' I think we can figure out where it is. We know where the Cylon Earth is as well, even if it was destroyed two thousand years ago, we might want to check it out."

Tory thought about it. "Hey. Wasn't that planet full of algae?"

Sam was curious. "So what if it is? What does that have to do with anything?"

Tory turned. "I was reading up on Earth's, original Earth, scientific history. After we found out that, theoretically, we all came from there, I studied up on the science which proved it. It was pretty convincing. But thinking of that planet, I remembered something from Earth's geological history called the great oxygenation event. Earth's oxygen atmosphere was the result of algae converting methane and carbon dioxide to oxygen. It took a long, long, long time, but the algae was necessary. It got me thinking about Mars and their long-term effort to make the world truly habitable. I wonder if we might load up on a few thousand gallons of algae and water and send it to Mars as a present. It's a lot easier to jump away from a planet with a full load than to jump to a planet. Might get us some goodwill in the Earth system, even if Mars is now independent."

Grazier was almost irritated. "And what other grand ideas do you have?"

Tory turned to the President. "Sorry. I just remembered my scientific training. But I did wonder what it would take to use our technology to move a massive, massive amount of water to Narn – it used to be humid and full of jungles. However, they lost a lot of water with their planet being clear cut by the Centauri for a hundred years, with much of the the wood being taken away. They've been trying to replace it since they became free about thirty to forty years ago. But it will take centuries. And without a drive like ours? Almost impossible."

Grazier asked almost nervously, "Have you mentioned this idea to them?"

"No. I thought I would talk to you first."

Grazier was relieved. "It sounds fascinating – but we're a bit concentrated on our own needs. At least we could use it as a bargaining chip, or at a time it would more favorable. Right now, it would be random."

Tory replied, "As Ambassador, one of the things I have to think about is what I can do to increase our influence with other governments. And I like the Narn Ambassador – he is a nice ally to have."

"Something to talk about. But first we've got to figure out what we're going to tell everyone about what you all remember."

Ellen said, "Let us tell them everything. And then we can use it to ensure that the Cylon Collective is too involved with resolving their own beliefs to truly threaten us, or any other world, again. Besides, except for John Cavil, I'd like to see how many of them we could save. I've been working on resolving mechanical/biological conflict for two thousand years. I'd like to see it succeed before I die."

And, after the long briefing was concluded, the members of the Senate and Quorum began discussing the idea of how to use the knowledge gained to direct the Cylon aggressiveness back on themselves.

A mission to the Temple of Hope was immediately planned.

Tory, however, ensured that all of her knowledge was downloaded and then she went back to Babylon 5 – she had much work to do.

* * *

G'Kar and Londo were both mightily relieved at being back on Babylon 5. G'Kar asked, "Why is everyone staring at us?"

Londo, nervous because of what had happened, looked carefully. Finally he realized, "It isn't us. It's you."

G'Kar looked at Londo and then back and noticed that he was right. "This is very strange."

Feeling a sense of relief from successfully leaving Centauri Prime intact, Londo was jovial. As another Narn bowed respectfully Londo said, "They appear to have become more admiring of you since you were gone. Absence, as the Humans say, apparently does make the heart grow fonder."

G'Kar looked at Londo in disgust. Londo suddenly noticed. "There's Vir."

G'Kar looked. Londo was right. "Find out if Jano arrived. We'll need to meet with Sheridan and Delenn as soon as possible."

Londo nodded in agreement. "Tomorrow." He looked again. "Today, you have to take care of your admirers." G'Kar gave a sound of disgust as he walked away, Londo chuckling after him.

* * *

G'Kar made his way back to his quarters, finding several Narns on the way who bowed to him and spoke in quiet voices.

He found a surprise at his door. "Ta'lon! Is that you?"

The Narn smiled. "It is me most days, except when I don't feel like myself. Then I am someone else. But today, yes."

"What have you been doing?" G'Kar asked.

"I go where the sword takes me. Most recently guarding shipments for what our people need: Food, small arms, things like this. Whatever the alliance allows, and a few other things, some large, some small, some things you might recognize." Both looked out at the Narns who were around.

G'Kar looked at Ta'lon for a moment. "And what else did you bring home from here?" G'Kar quickly opened his door and rushed in. "Where is my book?" he cried out. "The one I have been writing for two years!"

The following conversation was not what G'Kar had wanted to experience upon returning from Centauri Prime. As it was explained how he had become a religious icon, he remembered his conversation with Sheridan about what had happened when he returned from Zha'ha'dum.

He decided then he owned the man an apology.

Finally, he sent Ta'lon off and almost barricaded himself in his quarters.

* * *

Early the next morning, he made his way out. Luckily, there was a distinct lack of extra Narns in the diplomatic areas. He found his way to Londo. "When is the next Council meeting?"

"Put on hold, indefinitely. We have a meeting with Sheridan and Delenn."

G'Kar looked around and then asked in a quiet voice, "Did Jano get here safely?"

Londo gave a small nod. "Yes. Vir has successfully obfuscated his identity with the records. But he will be there."

"Where?"

"Sheridan's quarters. It is the safest place."

G'Kar nodded. "When?"

"Eat quickly." They were sitting in the area designated for diplomats. "We're expected in twenty Earth minutes."

G'Kar nodded and did as asked, quickly finishing a light meal. The two diplomats made their way.

* * *

They chimed the door and were immediately allowed to enter. Present was Sheridan, Delenn, Lyta Alexander (back from New Kobol) and Michael Garibaldi.

"Welcome back," Delenn said to the two. "I hope your trip was productive."

Londo replied, "Yes. Unfortunately." At Delenn's curious look he said, "While I am glad that we achieved some intelligence, it was not a happy thing that we found so much to worry us."

Delenn nodded in understanding. She turned to G'Kar. "Thank you for you work in going with him."

G'Kar grinned. "It was enjoyable in some ways." He continued on with more sobriety. "Several members of the Royal Court were not happy for a free Narn to be present. We even were attacked, though that was thwarted."

"Attacked?" Sheridan asked. "What happened?"

G'Kar waved him off. "Let us wait until all are present. We will explain fully."

Sheridan replied, "Of course. We listened to Jano's initial statements, though he wouldn't give everything until you were here. Thankfully, Lyta returned before you did and she helped Michael with what he had correlated."

Lyta said, "It's a bit frightening."

There was another chime. Sheridan went to the door and, seeing who waited, let Vir in with a hooded figure.

Londo asked, "Jano?"

The man dropped his hood and it was Jano. "Not quite the image of a Noble Centauri," he said with a deprecating tone.

Londo stepped forward to embrace him. "Thank the Great Maker! I had been quite worried when I sent you off."

After a quick embrace Jano replied, "Yes. It was a shock that my old friend would treat me so poorly. But I think that, perhaps, I have to thank you for your quick action."

Londo looked at his old friend. "I do not have so many true friends that I can afford to lose any that are left. I would do much to ensure you survive. And we don't have so many true patriots that we can afford to lose one to assassination."

Jano gave Londo a long look. "You think it likely I would have died." It wasn't a question.

Londo was very serious as he said, "Yes. There is much that we learned in the Palace, and little good."

Sheridan spoke up. "Why don't we all sit down and go over it?"

Londo turned. "Yes."

Jano's report was thorough. Much that he had said to Londo and much that Londo had prevented him from saying by his action came out.

G'Kar said, "This is all quite disturbing. Given …" He stopped talking.

Jano asked, "Given?"

G'kar looked at Sheridan and motioned. Sheridan nodded. "Dalai Lama."

At that both Londo and G'Kar breathed a sigh of relief. Londo said, "That was moderately unpleasant."

Jano was suspicious and confused. "What happened?"

Londo tried to reassure his friend. "We had a block put on before leaving for Centauri Prime to prevent us speaking of things that we had found before the visit."

"Someone prevented you from giving a full report?"

Londo chuckled darkly. "If I had given a full report, it is likely I, and you, would be dead." He turned to Vir. "Tell Jano what we determined before we left."

Vir nodded. And though Vir wasn't a public speaker of great experience, he was fairly detailed in what had been learned. Jano was mightily alarmed at what was said.

"That means the Regent …."

Londo nodded gravely. "Yes. Given what we saw, given what we guessed, and given what you have just reported; the only conclusion can be that the Regent is being controlled by an outside force. And Centauri Prime is once against threatened by the Shadows … or least that which they left behind."

Sheridan spoke. "What did happen?"

Londo and G'Kar gave a complete report. Finally G'Kar said, "We had been attacked by those who were against Mollari but were saved. It's ironic that it is likely that we were saved by the Drak, or those Centauri who are influenced by them. They wish to have Londo suffer, and him dying would prevent that."

Jano asked, "What can we do? We cannot leave it alone."

Londo gave a helpless gesture. "First we need proof. Vir has fielded many requests for information. And now that I am back, his efforts to delay can work no longer. We must tell them something. But the report includes records of Alliance shipping. If I speak of them, they will be attacked. If I say nothing, they will know that I have been compromised."

Sheridan gave a long look at Londo and then sighed himself. He said one word. "Coventry." Everyone looked at him, so he explained. "Three centuries ago, during Earth's Second World War, the British had finally broken the code that Germany used to communicate and pass orders. There was a report, though it was later made suspect, that the leader of Britain had ordered that no defensive measures be taken for a raid that was planned on Coventry. Because there had been no other way of the British knowing, Churchill knew that if efforts were taken to protect it more heavily than normal, the Germans would have realized that their code had been broken. And that would have been devastating. And so Churchill allowed things to proceed as if they didn't know. And on the night of the 14th of November, 1940, Coventry suffered massive damage and much loss of life. And while we will never truly know, most historians find it quite believable."

Delenn, who had been listening, said, "It is much like what happened with the Narns during the Shadow War. The Vorlons did not allow us to say anything when your reports were given – we were not ready. And so they helped the Centauri to conquer your world."

G'Kar waved if off. "We discussed this long ago. You were right to act as you did, despite what happened to our people."

Londo asked, "What is this?"

Delenn explained. Londo sighed. "You were correct. Even I did not know what was helping us, only that we were being helped. It is much as it is now. I can only say: Thank the Great Maker that these keepers apparently can't read the minds of those that they control."

Lyta asked, "How can you be certain?"

Londo looked at her and said, "The Regent. He has taken to drinking – before this he claimed sobriety as his only vice. That he was allowed to become free enough to tell others to kill him – that could only have been planned. Sheridan's memory of his vision of the future was much the same. In this vision, I conspired against these keepers. Could I have done this if whatever was used to control me could actually read my mind? No. These Drak and these keepers have many abilities. But that is not one of them."

Lyta said, "We have a report of someone surviving an attack hiding out on the Drazi home world. Michael and I discussed it and we think we need to send someone to retrieve this witness."

"How would we do this?" Sheridan asked.

"I have a friend who works security in that area. I've sent a message that I am coming for a visit. If we act officially, it will call attention to him. And we can't have that. So I'm going alone."

Delenn said, "That's quite dangerous."

Michael said, "The guy is an old friend but wouldn't talk to just anyone. It has to be me."

Londo said, "What can I send to Centauri Prime? I need to tell them something. We are moving toward a conflict we can't avoid but I would like to keep it from boiling over as long as possible."

Delenn said, "It's a three day trip to Drazi space. I think we will have to allow you to send a message just before Michael is scheduled to arrive; late enough that they will be able to do nothing, but early enough that they will rush to act. Such haste may reveal themselves, or at least something of their resources."

Londo considered it. "Very well." He turned to Michael. "How long before you go?"

"We've booked passage for me for a couple of hours from now."

Londo nodded. "Very well. I will include it in my report two and a half days from now. Ensure you are prepared for anything."

Michael nodded and sighed. "It's days like this that make me miss drinking."

Londo chuckled. "It is days like this that make me happy that all Centauri drink, except for perhaps Vir." Everyone looked at the younger Centauri.

Vir only barely withheld himself from rolling his eyes. "Yes. Alcohol and I don't get along very well. But I have gotten better. I can have one drink – as long as it isn't the size of one of Londo's normal cups."

Jano said, "Well, I think I will invite myself back to his quarters so I can inspect one of these cups and see if it is truly large."

Londo laughed. "Yes. You and I can speak and you can inspect my Bravari. I believe you will find it quite acceptable."

Sheridan said, "Yes. Go and do Centauri things. We're on hold until we get word back from Michael." He looked at Delenn. "Should we send Ranger backup?"

Delenn considered. "Perhaps we can have one nearby which can be contacted on an emergency channel."

Michael stood up. "Well get me the info quick. I leave very soon."


	13. Playing Spy

The rest of the group and returned to their meeting once Garibaldi had been sent off. In addition, a White Star had been dispatched to wait nearby in hyperspace – Garibaldi might need a quick retreat.

Londo finally spoke. "The question becomes: What can we do? The Alliance teeters because of these attacks. I am Prime Minister, and I am to be Emperor of the Centauri. But I _cannot_ move against the Regent without even more certain proof than we have. I, and Vir, are already know to be instrumental in removing Cartagia. Anything I do against the Regent will assure the Royal Court that I am … what is that quaint Human saying … power mongering?"

Sheridan said, "Power mongering would be selling power, power grabbing is the term you're thinking of. But your point is made. And we also have the problem that we are obligated, once we have information, to inform the rest of the Alliance members within 24 hours."

Jano considered that. "But have we actual proof? Yes, we have a supposition that seems to hang together with all that we know, but we don't have the smoking rifle. And while I weep for my home, and for its people, we can't move yet until we have some way to prove that it is Centauri ships attacking." He looked at Sheridan and Delenn. "But you will pay a price. What we have concluded without absolute certainty is still significant. Once the evidence comes, Londo will have to explain and explain that he went to you as soon as he became suspicious. The Centauri, we Centauri, we will likely experience upheaval and quite possibly Civil War. But the Alliance suffers as well."

Delenn thought about it. "Yes. But perhaps we can obtain the evidence, give the council something, and still keep the others from attacking Centauri Prime."

G'Kar snorted. "If you have a plan, please explain. My people are still too resentful of the Centauri and even if and when I urge caution and restraint, they will move against my advice."

"There are places where you cannot stay in hyperspace because it is faster and cheaper to move in real space between two gates that are close enough in real space but far too distant in hyperspace. Also, some colonies are very distant from the nearest jump gate. These are the places where attacks occur – out of sight but vital routes."

She looked at Londo. "The reports sent to each home world include all shipments. This is likely how the Drak know when to attack. There has to be some way that we can use this."

Vir asked, "So we set traps?"

Delenn nodded.

Jano said, "That will be difficult. I've worked with the Commerce Minister. I've seen how many ships travel. It is almost impossible to devise the most likely shipments."

Sheridan asked, "We've seen no Centauri attacked. Have any shipments going to and from Centauri space been attacked?"

Londo considered it. "No. But that would be because it is a part of the Drak plan to frame my people."

"Okay. So we can eliminate those routes. What kind of routes _are_ attacked? Regular routes, long established routes, or single shipment routes?" The rest looked at him questioningly. "I mean are these ships that regularly run or are they outliers?"

Lyta had some records with her. "Michael and I were looking at that trying to figure out a pattern. There seems to me a mixture."

Sheridan said with some annoyance, "But there has to be _something_."

Lyta said, "Well, if you want to help me look at it again, I'm perfectly willing to have the extra eyes. We couldn't see it."

"It's time like this I miss the war room – that's where we worked things out before."

Vir said, in passing, "It's too bad that the New Kobol ships aren't moving regularly. They might be able to use their drive to jump out if attacked."

Everyone looked at Vir, who suddenly noticed the attention. "What?" he asked nervously.

Delenn said, "It might be useful. They have sent ships between Minbari and New Kobol space, as well as between Narn and New Kobol space. And I don't think they have fully replaced all drives yet."

Sheridan said, "This could be dangerous. We'd need to talk to Ambassador Foster and see what her government thinks. It's morally outrageous to get them involved without telling them everything."

Delenn replied, "True. But they are a good and generous people." She looked at Lyta. "What do you think? Would your new government help?"

Lyta considered it. "They might. Right now, we are concentrating on sowing discord in the Cylon ranks back in the Cylon sector. You saw the reports they asked me to pass on?" Delenn nodded. "Right. So besides rebuilding their fleet, they are concentrating on that. I don't know how ready they would be to involve themselves with this. I do know that they are planning on arranging for shipments. I think the higher up are planning on finding hyperspace jump drives they can add easily to Battlestars and Gunstars. That kind if shipment might be a good target. If we got involved."

Sheridan said, "We need to bring Ambassador Foster in. A freighter with that drive might be the best shot at surviving an attack and being able to report back."

Londo said, "They might see through that, though it seems unlikely – I would not have considered it, of us only Vir saw it. But in addition, we should also attempt to add escorts, unreported, for at-risk shipping if we can deduce a pattern."

Sheridan said, "Well, we need to look at the ships attacked: Length of route, regularity, type of ship, type of crew, economic affluence, reliability, and anything else that might make them similar in any way. Are their flight plans all accounted for or are there gaps where they are doing illegal business? Are they on a schedule which assures that the backup captain or automatic systems are flying because the race's sleep cycle? There's got to be something."

Lyta said, "There are a couple things there we hadn't considered. Let me look it over. But it will take a while."

Sheridan nodded. "Don't take it personally. Some of that comes from having experience commanding a ship of the line. Things like anticipating the watch you will arrive on." He sighed and then gathered himself. "Garibaldi's still at least two days away and Londo won't report it for a day and a half. See if you can figure out something in 24 hours."

"Yes, Mr. President."

Delenn volunteered, "I will present the issue to Ambassador Foster and see if her government might be amenable to assisting."

"Good," he said in a more personal tone to his wife.

G'Kar said, "I will go with Delenn. The Narn also have a good relationship with New Kobol and I am respected." Delenn nodded in agreement.

"Jano, Vir, and I will check over exactly what is reported," Londo said. He looked at Lyta. "Since we can assume that the reports to my government is where they are getting their data, your efforts should start there as long as you ignore any internal Centauri matters. That is where the correlation might be found."

Sheridan asked, "Were there things they specifically asked for with or without explanation?"

"I will have to review those communiqués." Londo looked at Vir. "You will help me?"

"Of course."

Londo looked back at Lyta. "Contact me in an hour. I will have gathered all communications from Centauri Prime and pick out anything too sensitive."

Jano said, "But perhaps she should see the original unedited messages. Things that we Centauri consider to sensitive for outsiders might just be where the real data source is. I'm as loyal as any Centauri and just as sensitive to our image, but I dislike others controlling my people."

Londo sighed morosely. "There is that."

* * *

It was a few days later and Garibaldi had just checked in. He was out on the balcony and then pulled his his PPG. "That's a great way to get yourself killed."

"I was just checking your reactions to see if time had slowed them down."

It took a few tense comments but soon Michael was embracing his old friend Tafiq.

As he was getting the information, Tafiq accepted delivery of a bottle of liquor. However, when he began serving Michael raised his hand.

"What?" Tafiq asked.

"I love you like a brother and if there is anyone I would drink with, it would be you. But the reason my reflexes are better now is I haven't had a drink in 6 years. After the last time I almost died, I had to give it up." He looked with regret at the bottle. "Though I am tempted from time to time."

Tafiq waved the bottle toward the glass and back a couple of times and looked at Michael's face. Finally he gave a smile. "If it was anyone but you, my old friend, I would be insulted for refusing hospitality. Buuuut in this case …." He put the bottle down after reclosing it and reached for his own glass. "You don't mind that I partake?" Tafiq asked in a friendly tone.

Michael laughed. "I would be worried if you didn't and think that someone had taken your place using a changeling net."

Tafiq took a long drink. Suddenly Michael said, "That's it!"

"What's it, my friend?" Tafiq asked curiously.

Michael replied sheepishly, "Sorry. I just realized something." He looked around. "The new CO on Babylon 5, she and I tend to," he bobbed his head left and right in thought, "rub each other the wrong way. Something about her has always annoyed me." He sighed and grinned. "She doesn't drink either and she doesn't seem like the type that avoids it for religious reasons. I just realized that she's just like me. Which is why we seem to clash."

Tafiq nodded his head in amusement. "Someone like you? A woman?" He chuckled. "That would be an amusing thing to watch – as long as I was not standing between you." He peered at Michael. "So, now that you understand her better, will you treat her more pleasantly, respectfully?"

Michael gave Tafiq a look of incredulity. "Are you out of your mind? I'm going to use it to annoy her more!"

Tafiq laughed loudly. "Yes. You are truly my old friend Michael." He slammed the rest of his drink down. "Well, if we are not to get drunk together, then I should go and arrange to contact the downed pilot." He stood up and asked in a sly tone, "Should I leave the bottle?"

Michael gave him an annoyed look. Tafiq raised his hands in surrender. "Fine, fine." He grinned. "Being able to give joke freely is the mark of a true friendship. It is good to see you again, my friend."

Michael stood and the two embraced once more. "I'll be here." He nodded toward the bottle. "Don't slip too far into that." Michael paused. "There might be more than Drazi who might try to prevent this meeting. I'd rather see you take as little chance as possible with your health, if you know what I mean."

Tafiq looked at Michael. "You know something."

Michael gave an uncommitted look. "We've _guessed_ things. Not enough to say." He looked into Tafiq's eye and said more solemnly, "But enough that I would feel remiss in not warning an old friend to look out for shadows and those who might hide in them."

Tafiq looked at his face for a long moment. He then picked up the bottle and walked to the sink and poured it out. He then turned to Michael. "I think I will need to keep my wits about me, without temptation."

"Good call."

Tafiq nodded and then left.

* * *

It took a few hours. But Tafiq came back. Michael had his gun ready as he came in. Tafiq raised his hands. "It is I. But you are right to be cautious. It is good that you warned me."

"What happened?" Michael asked as he put his gun away.

Tafiq went to sit down. "I had to use my skills to change the record of your room – I changed it to an empty one, but ensured there was evidence of an occupant. That room was attacked by what I assume to be Drazi secret police – they do not want to allow the pilot to escape." He shook his head. "I hope that you will have room for another – I do not believe that I will be very popular when this is done. It will not be hard to trace my involvement. The price I pay for getting involved for an old friend." Tafiq's tone was slightly wistful.

"I'm sorry about that," Michael said with true regret.

Tafiq raised his hand. "We go back to far for me to truly regret helping you." He gave a small smile. "It will be another of the passing of favors between us. Luckily my accounts are off planet and I am always prepared to leave quickly." He shrugged. "The price I pay for my lifestyle."

Michael nodded. "Should we move from here?"

"It might be wise. There will be those who will actually ask rather than trust the computer. And it is possible they will move quickly."

Michael quickly threw everything he had brought into his bag. "Any suggestions?"

Tafiq grinned. "Another unrelated change I made in the computer. Turn off the lights."

Michael looked at him. Tafiq motioned him toward the balcony. Quietly he said, "An advantage of all suites having large balconies." He pulled a grappling hook and wire out, attaching it to a corner of one support. "This can be released from below."

The two made their way over the side and dropped into the next balcony down. Tafiq released the grapple and it was easily pulled in. He led Michael over to the door. Even as they quietly entered, they heard a disturbance above. The two looked at each other and quickly entered, ensuring they moved silently.

Michael looked around the room. "We have to move fast."

Tafiq raised his hand. "We must only quietly move down the hallway. There is a trash chute."

"You've got to be kidding me," Michael said.

"No. These are things Drazi would not consider. And so these are things that will allow us to escape. I know how they think. To us humans, such things are plausible. To the Drazi, it is considered … let us say that it would not be done."

Michael chuckled. "Got to love old Earth spy vids."

Tafiq grinned. They moved quickly to the hall. Luckily no one was there for the moment. Tafiq led Michael to the chute and attached the hook inside. Using the rope and the sides of the chute, they got themselves down a few floors, released the hook, repeated. There was a moment they had to move when something was dropped from above, but the refuse was small.

They made it to the basement. It was some work to get themselves off to the side and not to enter the trash receptacle. Tafiq led Michael out the door and to the Hotel's private exit for workers.

Tafiq knew the city and so knew when and how to move in it. He had to stop Michael from turning certain corners.

* * *

They made their way to the building Tafiq was based out of. "The pilot is in the trees outside of town. Now. How should we contact your backup? I assume you have it."

Michael nodded and went to his bag and retrieved a comm device. "I checked earlier. I can reach the White Star that's standing by– a trick we worked out during the Battle of Mars for me to signal the coordinates for a ship in nearby hyperspace. They will have to land a shuttle. Where should it go? And how long will it take to get the Pilot and get there?"

The Rangers could get in and out, if they knew where to land. They had done it on Narn, they had done it on Mars, and they could do it here.

Tafiq gave the coordinates for the private landing site and a time of two hours. Michael sent to message.

Luckily, it was a short transmission and without an answer being waited for, difficult to locate the source.

* * *

When they caught up to the pilot, a man who grew up on Beta 9, he was very nervous. "Are you sure it's safe?" He was speaking too loudly.

Michael urgently shushed him and replied quietly, "As long as you don't draw any attention! If you really want to get disappeared by the Drazi hunting you, talk loud some more."

Tafiq nodded in agreement. The nervous man settled down. But Michael and Tafiq had a time keeping him under control.

By the time the shuttle was landing, a Minbari flyer as it was quiet and had stealth, Michael was ready to kill the man himself.

But Tafiq with his bags, Michael with his bag, and the pilot with his bag, quickly got in and the shuttle was soon taking off, the Ranger not waiting for anyone watching to catch up to them.

They had to fly in normal space until they got behind the moon, where the White Star jumped in, picked them up, and jumped out.

Several alerts sounded in Drazi Homeworld Defense, but the action was too quick to prevent.

Their timing was fortuitous. Several members of the Centauri Royal Guard arrived just hours later to attempt to shut up the leak. The delayed report to Centauri Prime had done its job.

* * *

When Michael got back to Babylon 5, he arranged for Wendo Akilo to be placed in protective custody, put his friend Tafiq into quarters paid for by the Alliance, and then made his way to the President's Office.

He walked in and Sheridan saw him. "Michael! Welcome back."

"Thanks."

"Did you get him?" Sheridan asked.

Michael nodded. "We had to sneak out through a garbage chute and then the witness almost blew our escape, but we got him. I also had to bring my friend Tafiq; he was endangered because he helped us. Now I have to make certain he lands on his feet – I owe him. But as long as I make certain he has a good job and some good booze, he'll be fine."

Sheridan sighed. "Have you questioned the man?"

"No. I wanted Lyta there. He was bursting to say 'Centauri' – we told him we had guessed and that no one, not even the Centauri Ambassador, wanted him to lie about it. We also have to make certain he lands on his feet, or at least is safely away after he talks, plus 2,500 credits. And immunity. That's his price to tell us what he knows."

Sheridan was disgusted but not surprised. "I would have thought saving his life would be payment enough."

Michael chuckled. "Never underestimate the power of greed."

"Right. He'll have to accept telepathic monitoring during his testimony." Sheridan was adamant.

"I already told him that. Like I said, I didn't want to interrogate him till I had Lyta. Told him that it was that or I would take him and drop him back on the Drazi homeworld." Michael smirked. "He became very agreeable after that."

Sheridan nodded. "Well, we found a common thread or two. Every shipment that's been attacked is always on the dog watch. Usually when the pilot or Captain has been on duty all day and won't react as quickly but hasn't turned it over to the relief or the computer. Other than that, it's likely that all ships attacked had stops in ports which are more … liberal in what they carry. Also, the ships are all reliable, meaning that they always follow the same schedule and so attacks can be planned. And, they are almost always independent traders, meaning not run by any world. Therefore, they are unlikely to have any official escort."

Michael considered that. "That means they'll be less likely to work with the Alliance or ask for escort. Go by routes that aren't monitored by White Stars."

"Right."

"So," he asked the President, "How do we use this?"

"Haven't figured that out yet. We were waiting for you. You have more experience than I do – I'm used to Military ships and government delivery. Ivanova handled the supplies when we were cut off from Earth."

Michael considered that. "Maybe we can hire my friend Tafiq – this is his area. We owe him for helping and it will give him time to plan his next step."

"As long as he can help us figure out how to work this, I'll sign off. We need more evidence. As it is, we'll have to start telling the Alliance ambassadors something, and we have to do it soon."

Michael let out a long breath. "Politics." He shook his head and then looked at Sheridan. "Better you than me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As far as the reviewer who commented that the premise regarding Narn becoming arid and dry was ridiculous, I am only going according to Babylon 5 canon. The reason the Narns finally rose up was because the Cenauri were destroying the ecosystem and had turned it from a lush and jungle world to a dry, desert place. They clearcut the forests and strip mined minerals. The planet lost much of its ambient moisture. I am certain that some of it was just no plants means that the oceans reclaimed the water, but I also considered what would be the effect of losing billions of trees? How much water would be lost?
> 
> Also, in the Babylon 5 universe, efforts were made to speed up the greenhouse effect and to thicken the atmosphere – though it's a lot of methane and carbon dioxide. The info on the Great Oxygenation Event, where much of the methane and carbon dioxide being converted to oxygen being done by algae is a scientific fact. It took hundreds of millions of years, but that's how our world became so oxygen-rich.


	14. Intelligence Gathering

In the end no one had any better of a solution than informing the entire group of Alliance members the truth. It would give the Advisory Board and the President control over how the information got out. The one saving grace was that they had one witness, and his testimony could not yet be corroborated.

Thus it was required that they obtain further proof. And so to do this, they brought in Ambassador Foster, representing New Kobol.

Tory came into the President's Office and said, "You asked to see me?"

"Yes, Ambassador." Sheridan paused. "You are aware of the current situation with Alliance shipping? The reason why there are no current meetings scheduled?"

"Of course," Tory replied solemnly. "I don't agree with the majority of governments, but our voice is one amongst many and I could not sway the other Ambassadors though I tried arguing against this course. To the others, I am too Human, my government is too newly arrived to have much influence. Also, none of our shipping has yet been attacked, mostly because we haven't established any yet."

Sheridan nodded. "Of course. But that might change. We could use your government's assistance."

"How?" she asked.

"First, there are some things that I and the Advisory Board need to explain. Do you have time for a long meeting?"

"I'm at your disposal," she replied.

"Okay, then. This way, please."

Sheridan led Tory to a conference room that was part of the Presidential Suite. Unlike other conference rooms, this one was used by the ISA leadership exclusively and all efforts to keep it secure were made. Sweeps were made to ensure that no bugs were installed and nothing was left behind.

Tory was surprised to see that all members of the Advisory Committee were already present.

Delenn stood up. "Ambassador Foster. Please join us."

Tory sighed to herself and sat down. "Now. What is this all about?" she asked.

Londo motioned to the others and all deferred. "We have, through luck and chance, finally determined who has been behind the attacks on Alliance shipping."

Her eyes widened. "Who?"

G'Kar interrupted before Londo could speak. "The Drak. Though they have done so by co-opting an Alliance member." Londo looked torn between relief and annoyance. G'Kar finished. "It is the Centauri."

Tory looked quickly at Londo, who had a defeated look. "Truly?"

Londo nodded. "Yes, dear lady. To my shame, I have found that the Regent of the Centauri Republic has been … controlled by former Shadow allies. My people are particularly tradition bound. The word of the Emperor, or in this case the Regent, is considered absolute. To even contemplate going against his orders or wishes is treasonous, though I have done so before for the good of my people. And now, I find, that I must do so again. But it must be done in such a way that the destruction of my people, and moreso the destruction of the Alliance, is not the final conclusion."

She asked, "What happened?"

Londo, with the others assisting and adding things, explained exactly what had been found.

Finally Tory replied, "That is _terrible_. For you and your people. What can be done?"

Londo tried to make light. "Well. Unfortunately, our history does not lend itself to sympathy from the other governments. The Centauri have a history of ... well, some would call it arrogance though we don't find that attribute a negative. The Centauri tend to be arrogant in their dealings. To the average Centauri noble, it is right and just that all others should listen to us and accept our place – above all others. This has not made us popular with most species. In fact, you could say that the League of Non-Aligned Worlds was initially instituted to counter the status-quo.

"At one time, the Centauri Empire controlled a majority of this sector of space. Save for the Minbari and the Vorlons, we expanded our reach and our control upon all others. And while we were fairly lenient in allowing all the other races their own beliefs, traditions, and freedoms as long as they recognized our preeminence, we were not kind in our rule.

"And now, fate has played a cruel trick on us. During the Shadow war, I acted to ensure the Shadows who were using us and our world for a base were destroyed it cannot be argued that I, leading the Centauri Royal Court, were quite vicious toward them. I blew up the Island of Celini on Centauri Prime, which is where the Shadows were based. There was a man, a Human, who was the Shadows' agent and he ensured that the Centauri were submitting to their needs. To defeat them, it was necessary that he be killed because keeping him alive would have given the Shadows a way to achieve information which he had. He was also responsible for killing the woman I loved, and so I felt great joy in his death. Before he died, he said that I would pay the price by one of the Shadow's agents.

"And now, I find, that the price he hinted at was the allies the Shadows left behind corrupting the highest figure in my government and, like their masters before, using our world as a way to sow confusion and fear to all peoples.

"And now, we must first prove this sufficiently and then attempt to prevent the rest of the Alliance from attacking and destroying my world. The Narns, and the Drazi, would need little convincing to attack us. They would feel quite understandably justified considering our history. We need to somehow achieve an attack against the Drak, who we do not know how to attack, but not their puppets – my people. We need, somehow, to drive them out."

Tory could understand that. "My people have also had recent experience with infiltration. That was how our worlds fell." She looked at Londo. "Although I am somewhat surprised at your candor. It does match up to what I know of the Centauri."

Londo chuckled darkly. "Yes. Well, in this I have no choice. If I am to see my people freed, I must do what goes against all the rules of propriety which shackle me. There is no Centauri solution to be had. And so we must find another solution which will serve."

Tory paused and then finally said, "And what can my world do to help?"

Sheridan spoke. "According to rumor, you have been helping to negotiate for hyperspace jump drives which can be added to your largest ships. Is that correct?"

Tory nodded. "Yes. That is no secret. And while it is not hard to find them, finding available drives which will fit with our technology has been an issue. Minbari drives are good, but they aren't quite right in their housing – they would create problems with out other fuel source. We're avoiding Earth until we are more stable, and Narn needs all of its own drives for the ships they are building. In fact, that is the biggest issue. All governments are, in effect, rebuilding after most races lost a significant number of ships during the Shadow war. With the attacks, they are more hesitant in selling what they might eventually need."

Delenn said, "You should talk to the Gaim."

"The Gaim?" Tory asked. "Why them?"

Delenn sighed. "Much of what the Markab left behind was claimed or acquired by the Gaim Intelligence, though they do not advertise that fact. Though it might offend our sense of the order of things, the League could not prevent anyone with the resources to gather and take the things left behind when the Markab civilization died out." She paused. "When John sent you to their old system, he felt justified because he knew that those resources were left for us to do as we would by the few remaining Markab. The Minbari and the Humans did not feel it was proper to take what was left without leave. I remember when John said, 'I do not like grave robbers.' Unfortunately, other races did not have the same discretion. Whatever we might feel, it does mean that the Gaim would likely be the best source for drives."

Tory asked, "Could I get your assistance in speaking with them? Arranging for at least one drive and the specifications could allow us to begin our program. Although, it sounds as though you actually wish this to be bait."

Sheridan gave a nervous chuckle. "Yes. We want to arrange an established trader to transport a drive on routes that are out of the way. Our intelligence determined this is the prime target for these attacks. However, we also want to send an escort, as disguised as possible, to travel with it. We think, or at least Jano, a Centauri who helped Londo with this, Jano thinks that this will draw them out. We need to witness an attack. And we need to scan the attacking ships to see what we can determine. And then we need to get the hell out with the data."

"This sounds quite dangerous."

Sheridan nodded. "It is. But we have no other choice. If we're going to stop this, we need to know more. Worst case, we can't stop it and you never pay for a drive not delivered. We'll arrange for the trader we choose to acquire the drive and to come here to sell it to you. As long as you guarantee you will pay a fair price for it if they succeed. Basically, I need to arrange for your government an option fee – a ten percent down payment for delivery of a drive which you can buy in full when presented. The Alliance will front the other part of the down payment which would normally be required."

Tory Foster considered it. "You could have just told me that you could get me a drive and guarantee that any loss would be covered. Why this whole meeting?"

Sheridan looked at her and said, "Because we'd also like to arrange for one of your raptors to travel within the ship transporting the drive. And if it's attacked, we want your ship to jump out without trying to fight back. We _have_ to get intelligence. No matter the cost."

Tory now understood. "That will take convincing. My people are sensitive to the idea of abandonment of those in need. I remember Laura Roslin's nightmares after having to leave behind those who couldn't be saved. Adama was a little more understanding – he's military. But we've spent an enormous amount of resources to recover all survivors. And we're spending even more saving the Cylons who were hoodwinked by the leader of the Collective. We consider it a moral issue. We're clinging to our values because that is all we can do to prevent us from falling into despair over what has happened. To ask us to leave a possible ally, even a civilian trader, behind … that is a hard blow."

Sheridan said, "We would do all we could to protect them. The Rangers will be doing all they can, even sacrificing themselves if necessary, to protect the innocent. But someone has to take the chance, accept that possibility. It's the only way we can assure we'll get what we need."

Tory considered it. She hated being involved with such decisions. She could pass this to New Kobol and absolve herself of any responsibility, but she didn't like it. She considered it long and hard, the others letting her have the time.

Finally she had a thought. "A question."

Delenn said, "Go ahead."

"Can we have a military unit take the place of a known trader? Keep any civilians out of it?"

Londo said, "Jano thinks, and I concur, that there will be watchers, people who will look for such a trap. The trader must be visible. And not visibly protected."

Tory nodded abstractedly. She then had another thought. "Could a ship be controlled remotely?"

Delenn said, "Centauri scanners are good enough to register life signs. A remotely controlled ship would register as having no living beings present. And controlling a ship at a distance would be very difficult if not impossible for long and intricate trips, such as this would be."

Tory shook her head. "I'm not talking about remotely from outside. I was thinking of seeing if we can put the pilot and crew _inside_ of our raptor. Set it up so that it can be flown from the raptor. And then if an attack starts, the raptor severs the controls and jumps out with the trader and his crew. The ship might be destroyed and his cargo lost, but we could prevent his death."

Those present were taken aback by the idea. "That's something we hadn't considered. How hard would it be to set up? How much can a raptor connect with a larger ship?"

Tory said, "I don't know. But the pilot for my transport is available. And he has military training. Let's ask him."

* * *

After some inquiry, the idea took hold. While a raptor was unsuited to having someone live on it, it could carry several people. The jump computers on available raptors, assisted by Athena, had been boosted using Cylon tech so that they could jump much farther.

As long as the ship was deep enough within the larger ship, an attack would not destroy a cargo ship immediately. Given at least three minutes, a raptor could power up and jump out, especially if it wasn't a cold start.

A raptor could be powered by the ship it was on sufficiently so that the jump drive was always ready. At the first sign of attack, the crew of the raptor could gather the people in the ship into the small vessel and, once disconnected electronically, jump out. Optimally, the raptor should leave the vessel it was in, but it could jump from inside if one was willing to let any damage to the host vessel occur, usually from sudden decompression of a loss of mass. The air in a ship would violently move to fill the newly emptied space.

Also, jumping from an artificial gravity environment could create interference. However, most trading vessels didn't have that, so it wasn't an issue.

Where to jump to would have to be determined continually. However, the host ship's route would be controlled from nearby or within the ship, meaning needed info would also be available. This wouldn't prevent this operation from taking place.

Overall it would a very tough assignment, but it could be done. Tory, with the assistance of Sheridan and the others, put the plan together and had Lyta contact Adama directly with the request and all relevant information.

It took a day, but the plan was approved. Arrangements were made to contact a known trader who stopped by Babylon 5 and the Gaim were convinced to sell a hyperspace jump drive and all specifications.

* * *

And a few days later, in an area deemed safe, a New Kobol ship met up with the trader, a Human who preferred to stay away from Earth space. The New Kobol ship carried a raptor plus the crew.

Londo's report to Centauri Prime included the information which would be included normally. Though details on the exact route were not a part of the report (no independent trader would give that information up) the New Kobol report on their entrance into trade agreements with the trader were.

The entire reason why shipping was included was to allow Alliance governments to ensure that members could take advantage of available resources and get needed supplies shipped more easily.

Londo, after he had sent the report, realized something. He quickly contacted Lyta Alexander, who was in charge of the mission.

"Ambassador. What can I do for you?" she asked.

"I have just submitted my report to Centauri Prime. But I just realized something."

"What?"

"What if the unaccounted-for times, the differences between what was reported and what occurred were commissions for cargoes that occurred in the moment?"

"What do you mean?" she asked. Michael Garibaldi, in the background, also looked curious.

"We assumed that the ships attacked all seemed to be involved in shady practices, or almost all of them. But I think this is wrong."

Michael spoke up. "But we figured out that all of the ships attacked had portions of their route unaccounted for. That usually means something less than legal."

Londo said, "Yes. But these are all independent traders. Part of their appeal is that anyone can hire them at even a moment's notice if necessary. A buyer asks for a specific cargo, very near their planned route. And so they accept and move on this additional commission. And this extra route ensures that the trader is at a certain place at a certain time. Very easy to attack."

"But we've got no record of that," Lyta protested.

"Of course not. We assumed that the attacks destroyed the records on these ships to ensure no record of those attacking was left behind. What if they also wanted to ensure that the record of the extra commissions was destroyed?"

"How does that help us?" Michael asked.

"Our operation, our 'sting' as you Humans call it, we must warn then. If the trader is approached, he might be cautious in accepting another commission because of this. They must tell him to act as he normally would and accept such things. Once in hyperspace, he can report to the White Star standing by. A calculation of where an attack would take place could be determined then, yes?" Londo finished.

Michael and Lyta looked at each other. "Excellent deduction. Thank you, Ambassador. We'll get the word out immediately."

Londo nodded. "Good. Here's to our success." He drank some bravari. "Off." The screen shut off.

* * *

After the message had been sent off, Lyta considered what had been found and what had been decided. And while what the Alliance leadership had put into place could produce results, it was far from being a certainty that they would succeed.

Finally she decided she needed to act, both in her role as current head of Covert Operations for the Alliance as well as her permanent role as Director of Military Intelligence for New Kobol.

She put in a call to New Kobol. It took some time but she finally got through.

"Colonel Alexander. It's good to see you. How are you doing?" the military officer on the other end asked.

She felt a great deal of respect and admiration for this man, and her expression showed it. "I'm learning a lot, Admiral. It's a good place for me to learn my MOS. So, while I would have been happy to be back there at home, it is better for New Kobol that you put me here."

Admiral Adama smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. Now, why are you calling me?"

Lyta got down to business. "You know of the operation the Alliance asked for help with."

"Of course. One of our raptors and its crew are out there."

"Right. I think that I will need more help with this, though."

"The Alliance is asking for more resources?" he asked curiously.

"No. Admiral, while I answer to President Sheridan currently, my position as head of Military Intelligence for New Kobol will require me to be able to act when I feel it's needed. And sometimes, I will have to act without involving superior officers if I feel that involving them will threaten the safety of my operatives or my people as a whole. What if there is a possible leak which will threaten a planned operation?"

Adama chuckled darkly. "You're starting to understand the difference between a leader and a subordinate. That's good." He gave her a long look. "But it's also an area which can come back and bite you in the ass. Politicians don't like to find out that Military officers are acting without approval from higher ups."

Lyta agreed. "Of course. I need some advice, and I might need some help."

"Explain."

"Ambassador Mollari had a guess which seems to hold together. After this operation was put into place, he realized – and I'm upset that neither I nor my Training Officer had this idea – that it is likely that possible attack victims are placed where they are vulnerable by offering them an immediate commission. Independent traders will often take jobs which are close to where they will be anyway. So by hiring them for a set job which requires them on a set route at a set time, you would be able to know exactly when and where to attack."

Adama considered that. "That sounds plausible. It's not even that hard to guess that such is the case. How can you use this?"

Lyta was nervous here. "This is where I think I need some help. We put the operation in place thinking we were going to create a carrot, a shipment which would be interesting to try to steal or to prevent. But now I'm thinking that it will only succeed by sheer chance. What I think we need is to get people into ports where additional jobs are often picked up by traders. We need to find where traders are enticed just sufficiently but not overly so. Jobs that are good enough not to talk about them to other people, but not so good as to make the trader nervous."

"That sounds fine – but the very nature of the transaction you're describing would belie the idea of being able to track it."

"I know. That's why I think I need help. I'd like to consider asking Byron for any of his people who are willing to act as visitors to these ports and to look for people hiring traders the way I am describing."

Adama sat back and considered that. "I take it this is outside of what would be expected of a telepath."

"Just Human telepaths – Psi Corp has rules about what telepaths can do. Other races don't have the same rules, but most telepaths work in set places defined by their government or registered with their government. For example, there are several Centauri telepaths which can be hired here on Babylon 5 if you're willing to pay the premium. New Kobol, however, doesn't limit what telepaths can do outside of respecting privacy – not speaking of what is found to those who don't have the right to know. But I could really use agents to try to suss out suspicious buyers. Agents who look like they fit in. The problem with Byron's people is that they glorify verbal silence – it's not hard to see that they are different. I need to get people trained to act like non-telepaths but who are willing to use their abilities to find out what is needed. A lot of lives could be saved if I had people who could do this right now."

Adama considered it. "That sounds good. But what do you need me to do?"

Lyta sighed. "For the long term, I'm recommending approaching Byron about this and seeing if we can hire and train telepaths to fit in such circumstances. If he has people who are willing to try immediately, I'd like to talk to Delenn about having telepaths working with the Rangers to work on the current problem. It's a long shot – but I don't want to take it to her unless I get it approved by my boss – you – and we have the people who might be able to do the job. I can't chance hiring Human telepaths who aren't cleared at New Kobol – too much of a chance of a plant by Psi Corp. I need ethical telepaths, and the only ones I might be able to trust are now living on our world."

Adama considered that for a long moment. "I think I will go and visit Mr. Gordon and see what he says. I don't know if they will be willing – from what I understand, they haven't been treated well in the past by those who were responsible for their safety and security. But I'll ask. And I'll have to do it in person so they can see that I am entirely truthful with what we'll be asking of them."

Lyta felt a sense of relief. "Thank you, Sir. Delenn or Sheridan might not accept them, but long term, for our own needs, we should truly consider it."

"I agree. I'll call back after I see what they say." Adama smiled. "Keep up the good work. I look forward to when you can come home."

"Thank you, Sir. Me too."

The two disconnected their connection.


	15. The Tragedy of Telepaths

Adama, at the end of his day, sat for long moment considering what he knew of the telepaths who had come to New Kobol as refugees from Earth's Psi Corps.

From all reports he had read, they were a solitary group. Those non-telepaths who went to live in the same community were either willing to allow the quirks of those around them or were sufficiently non-social so as not to feel isolated unduly from neighbors who were different.

It was not a "normal" community. As many residents communicated telepathically, there was a dearth of the normal voices and sounds that one would expect. Even on the busiest days, it was _quiet_.

Lyta's comment that Byron and his people were all-too-willing to live within their heads was a keen observation.

It was also a community filled with pain, though they were healing in their own way. Many had been ill-used by Psi Corps. They disliked being controlled and had little concern for what happened outside of their environment.

It was, perhaps, salubrious that the New Kobol authorities tasked with assisting them were screened to ensure that there was no fear or prejudice against telepaths. In fact, the Relocation Bureau had been specifically staffed with the least prejudiced people that could be found. Far too many survivors still clung to the old prejudices between colonies and it had been a concern. Also, knowledge that the Terran survivors were descended from Humanform Cylons had also been a source of potential difficulty.

And so the telepaths, when they had arrived, had been greeted by those who were by custom or experience remarkably non-judgmental as regards race, creed, color, economic status, and so forth.

He shuddered to think what a conservative Sagittarion would have done faced with the same job.

Still, the telepaths had fit in. The farms they had begun working were producing what was required and there had been no major concerns. The telepaths, as a whole, were attempting to live a simple life, free of the stresses and demands of city life. They made a sufficient wage and were given sufficient respect for their persons and abilities.

Some of Byron's people had, in fact, taken jobs specifically requiring their skill.

There had been Humans from Earth Alliance who wished to come and live on New Kobol, people who wanted a better chance. For the moment and for the next several years, there was more than enough that needed to be done that a few extra hundred or even a few thousand people could easily be settled.

However, a part of the naturalization process included an interview which assured that those arriving were not attempting to spy or subvert. And this included telepathic scan. Several people had been rejected by this process, mostly attempts by members of criminal elements who thought that New Kobol was a place where they could create a criminal enterprise.

Such attempts were scarce because New Kobol had a policy of taking them into custody for crimes they were accused of elsewhere and then turning them over to Earth or whatever government could charge them. They included, with the prisoner, all evidence obtained by telepathic scan. When Earth lawyers protested, it was pointed out that New Kobol had no such rules and it was clearly stated in the citizenship application that such information could be taken and used for legal procedures.

Criminals were remarkably free with signing documents they had no plans on following.

After a large number of cases of these types had been made, the attempts of criminals to emigrate had dropped off.

Psi Corps had, in fact, attempted to plant two agents. Their procedures had caught those agents and, unlike criminal elements, the agents had been freed, and a formal protest had been lodged with EarthGov.

No more attempts were made from that quarter.

EarthGov, at the urging of Psi Corps, had lodged their own protests regarding rogue telepaths, some with charges filed against them, being given sanctuary, residence, and citizenship on New Kobol. New Kobol sent the list of all laws and regulations on the matter and cited religious reasons for such laws: Telepathic ability had religious significance on New Kobol.

There was a space port where non-residents could land and, after being inspected, could visit or trade, though New Kobol was light on tourist attractions. For the most part, Human and Alien visitors were visiting New Kobol to establish business relationships. Many traders were comfortable with the idea of Commercial Telepaths, and so some of Byron's people took jobs along those lines.

Earth Corporations making an attempt to break into the New Kobol market did encounter several obstacles. According to most EarthGov Corporate charters, they could only make agreements of certain types with Commercial Telepaths who were certified by Psi Corps. New Kobol didn't recognize the authority of Psi Corps. And so the first attempts to create agreements were stymied by that fact.

Earth corporations asked about bringing a Psi Corp Commercial Telepath. And while it could be done, it was expensive. No Psi Corps representative could land on New Kobol outside of official EarthGov missions. And if the were brought, there were strict limits as to where they could visit.

The Battlestars Themis and Cygus, recovered with the final survivors from the Twelve Colonies, had been too damaged to consider salvaging them as Battlestars. However, their frames were built for space. And so, despite some protest as it being disrespectful to their histories, the two ships had been stripped of their large engines, stripped of most military equipment (save a small complement of fighters, space to maintain them, and a few defensive guns for possible attacks), and had been attached together and made into a significant space dock for civilian traffic.

All items stripped went into ensuring parts were available for other Battlestars.

Lobo Negro, New Kobol's space dock for repair and construction, had been converted to a military facility. Homeworld Defense was run out of Lobo Negro, as well as Fleet Operations. Immigration, commercial representatives, and all non-military elements had been moved to the Themis Space Dock at New Kobol.

Currently, only a small part of the space dock was in use. The current quarters and facilities made a good base for what was needed immediately. However, it was envisioned that traders, liners, and other ships would be able to put in as well. A section had been set aside for Minbari visitors of all castes. Another section had been set aside for activities which were considered indulgences: A casino, similar to Babylon 5's, several bars, even a brothel or two, would be given room.

Adama, personally, thought it was asking for trouble, but several business interests had successfully lobbied for approval for such establishments. The argument had been made that not all visitors had the same culture as they did. And even New Kobol had brothels run by certain sects.

It had always been a mystery to him how some sects denounced carnal pleasure, and other sects promoted it. Different gods, different colonies with different historical backgrounds he figured. The moral objections he understood, and personally he agreed with them. He knew, however, that such things could better be controlled if they weren't made a dirty secret.

New Kobol had strict rules regarding licensing and monitoring of health for those who worked in such establishments. On Earth, it seemed, it seemed that exploitation was almost built in to such things. Kobol had made it religious, which meant that those who indulged were expected to treat the workers and the establishment with extreme respect and generosity. And those who worked there had much control over what activities were acceptable to them – forcing such workers was severely looked down upon and often grounds for prosecution.

As far as he knew, none of Byron's followers had accepted any offers to work in such places. By cultural upbringing, they considered it exploitation and degradation.

What Colonel Alexander was asking him to propose was also, by cultural influence, considered a violation by most former Earth telepaths. Many Alien governments used telepaths as Intelligence Officers, but not Earth. Any telepaths who agreed would need to have access to counselors who could help them.

The question he had pondered as to why there were telepaths seemed, to him, to go back to Vorlon influence. He wondered what reaction the telepaths would have when confronted with his idea that the Vorlons somehow inserted that genetic gift into the various populations. From all he had studied, the one place where telepaths became vital was in the Vorlon/Shadow conflict. Even thousands of years ago, the Vorlons had been mucking about with Humans for that purpose. The Vorlons were millions of years old. It seemed to him that such a species would have the ability to modify other races according to their needs.

He could hide that guess from Byron and his people, but he knew that he would need to be open if he was to succeed.

Girding himself, he made arrangements to travel to the town run by Mayor Byron Gordon.

* * *

Byron Gordon stood outside of the municipal center which contained his office. Although much of the work being done had been taken over by civilian authority, there was still some work to be done by those who were elected to lead.

In truth, the farms that his people had come to work on were now controlled by them. Having been the people who actually did the work, the New Kobol government, in divesting control of non-government functions, had instituted the policy that the workers could, if they wished, form new corporations which controlled and advanced the activities of those who settled on New Kobol.

If they had not wanted it, there were investors who would take control and be responsible for ensuring that vital needs were taken care of including maintenance, new equipment, proper hiring, and other things a company did for its workers.

By taking ownership themselves, the members of the companies were now responsible for all of the needs of the company. If they failed, it would be because of their own mistakes.

The telepaths who worked the farms in the area had been floored by the concept of business ownership. Earth telepaths were not given that chance. Communities where telepaths lived were controlled by Psi Corp, for the good of Psi Corp. The theoretical good of the individual telepaths was not even a concern.

Psi Corp was, at its heart, almost a communistic organization. While everyone was theoretically equal, there were always some people considered 'more equal' than others.

Therefore, while the telepaths did operate the nearby farms as almost a commune, it wasn't controlled by any government or outside force. It was theirs. And they were proud of what they owned. And while some members of the community went out and made profit in jobs requiring their abilities, almost all of those used much of their profits to buy shares of the ventures, allowing those resources to be invested back into what was needed by the largely telepathic community.

Somehow, the communes were operating well enough that all members of the community had shares of profits put into their personal bank accounts.

At hearing the engine, Byron looked up and saw that the raptor he was expecting was coming in. Admiral William Adama, Commandant of the New Kobol Fleet, was coming in to enquire about hiring telepaths.

He was torn about the idea – most of his people were very leery of involving themselves with any government agency. But this wasn't Earth. They had to get used to a new culture, a new way of looking at things. And so he was outside to welcome their guest.

* * *

The raptor landed on the spot designated and the hatch opened. A security detachment exited, followed by the man himself.

Byson stepped forward. "Welcome, Admiral Adama, to the village of Elpida. I hope that we can ensure your visit is pleasant."

Adama shook the man's hand. "Thank you, Mayor Gordon. I hope things are going well for you and your people?" He ended his comment with a questioning tone.

Bryon replied, "Yes. We are learning a new way. It is a far different way than we were brought up to believe was required of us. It has been a liberating experience for most of our citizens here."

"Good." He looked around. "Where should we meet?"

"This way," Byron motioned toward the building.

As they made their way inside, Adama nodded pleasantly to the locals they passed by. Adama did note that it was, as reports stated, a remarkably quiet place. As a result, he didn't feel the need to engage in small talk.

Finally they were seated at Byron's desk. The Admiral accepted a beverage, coffee, and the meeting began.

"What can I do for you, Admiral?" Byron asked.

Adama looked at him. "I had a request from Lyta Alexander at Babylon 5." Byron looked quite interested. Adama peered at him and saw something. "You already have sensed what I was going to ask you."

Byron looked at Adama and said, "Yes. For politeness' sake, I was going to allow you to speak of it. But I have understood what you are asking."

Adama nodded. "Good. It saves time." Byron shook his head, a strange expression on his face. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry. I used to live on Earth. I am used to a certain attitude by non-telepaths. Psi Corp regulations forces us to actively avoid scanning those around you. For someone of my ability, it is much, much harder to avoid. I was rated a P-12 – the highest rating. It was _so_ very hard, so very _tiring_, to attempt to follow those rules all the time. And when we did allow others' thoughts, the Mundanes had an almost instinctive fear and lack of trust when it came to those of my abilities. We are often hated, though a polite mask was almost always offered."

He shook his head again. "And yet, here, even one as highly placed as yourself has no true instinct of hatred outside of your concerns for security for your people. You know I read your mind and there is no fear because of it. We are not used to that."

Adama nodded. "Yes. As I learn more and more about how Earth treats its citizens who are telepathic, I dislike Psi Corp more and more. I dislike the politicians who forced the creation of such an organization. I'm sure there are many, many non-telepaths on New Kobol who would react as you are used to, but culturally, we have a different view on such things."

Byron nodded in acknowledgement. "And yet, I see your supposition as to how we became telepathic. Your conclusions and what that is based on. And seeing what you know … I somehow find that it seems entirely likely." Byron stood up and said, "Excuse me, I have to gather myself."

Adama nodded and calmly drank his coffee, waiting for Byron to get over his upset at what Adama had been thinking.

* * *

After a few minutes, his comm link, a product of Babylon 5's influence, sounded. He raised his hand. "What is it?" He knew that only the raptor was close enough to contact him.

"Admiral? I think you need to come out and see this."

Adama quickly drank the rest of the coffee and walked out. The sight which had alarmed his guards was obvious: Byron stood out and everyone in the area had gathered around him. There was a silent commune going on, and it was obvious that there was much anger in it.

Adama watched, waited. He respected these people enough for them to process and react as they would, regardless of how alarming it looked. It took a few minutes but finally Byron turned. "Your revelations were … triggering. We have much anger built up because of what we lived. And to find out that it is likely that we were created by the Vorlons – _made_ this way – only to be used as cannon fodder in a war not our own …" He shook his head. "If they hadn't interfered, we wouldn't have lived it, wouldn't have been shunned, hunted, treated as second class citizens."

Adama heard what he was saying. "Yes. All true. I cannot deny it. What are your immediate feelings about that?"

Byron took a long breath. He gave Adama a wry look. "If this had been just a few months ago, if this revelation had come when we were still homeless, still running, I would have led my people to rise up and demand aid from the various governments. Even now, to find out that this was our purpose, that we were made to help protect them, to help keep them safe from the shadows, to benefit the Mundanes, it makes me want to demand recompense, demand that they help us as payment for what we suffered."

Adama nodded. "There is a fallacy in your argument."

Byron was startled by that. Because he was linked up with the other telepaths, his awareness of Adama's thoughts had receded. And so he had to ask verbally, "What fallacy?"

Adama looked at him. "Of all the governments and people, New Kobol is the one place where most people were outside of the Shadow/Vorlon conflict, at least for the last 5000 years. And so I can't truly understand your pain. But the indoctrination of Psi Corp comes through even now. You immediately move into a 'telepath/mundane-us/them' mindset. You see those who are not telepathic as other, as different. Yes. It was likely intentional by the Vorlons. But don't make the mistake of thinking it was for their benefit, for the benefit of the other non-telepaths. The true recipients of what you suffered, the true people who benefited, were the Vorlons. The Vorlons and Shadows had been fighting for tens of thousands of years. How long ago did telepaths start coming into being? A few thousand?

"No. The Vorlons wanted to stack the deck against their rivals. They wanted something to defeat the Shadows because, at a fundamental level, they disagreed with them. You all were _used_. But don't think that all the non-telepaths out there weren't just as much victims as yourselves. ALL races were used. ALL races, every member, telepath, non-telepath, it didn't matter. It wasn't about winning a _war_. It was about winning an _argument_!"

He looked around at all of the telepaths watching. "Well, guess what? The Vorlons are gone. The Shadows are gone. You've been left behind, just like everyone else. You feel like victims? You feel hurt because you've been treated so badly?" He shook his head. "I'm sorry to say this but: GET OVER IT!"

Those watching were shocked out of their anger by his vehemence.

"You are living on a world which is almost fully peopled by refugees. Our worlds were destroyed. Only one in ten thousand of our people lived. One in ten thousand! Yes. We were destroyed by our own creations. You were created by someone you can't make pay the price. Yes. It's a tragedy what you had to endure. Well, it's time to say, 'Frak You' to everyone who wanted to control you, to force you into a certain hole and make your lives subject to their controls. As an Earth writer once said, 'Living Well is the Best Revenge.' Take control of your life. Do what _you_ think is right. If you feel you can work for those wanting to pay for your services, then do it. But not for _them_, do it for _you_. They want you to do the job? Make certain you get paid for it. _Earn_ what you need. Earn what you _want_.

"And if someone comes and tells you that you have to be controlled because you're dangerous, or because it's not fair? Frak them. You're not responsible for their prejudices. Certainly, I expect you to respect others, respect their privacy, their freedom. But just the same, others have to respect _you_, respect _your_ privacy, _your_ freedom. You don't have to live by _their_ rules any more."

He looked around. "You want to take revenge? The best revenge is living _well_!" And he ended by punctuating every last word. "So! Say! We! All!"

His security guards, those that came with him, helped enourmously when they called out loudly, "So say we all!" in response.

Adama repeated himself, opening himself to be read by the crowd. "So say we all!"

It was picked up by several voices. "So say we all!"

Adama exhorted them, moved them, by pure force of will. "So say we all!"

Louder it came back, with more certaintly. "So say we all!"

One last time Adama screamed it. "SO SAY WE ALL!"

And every telepath screamed it back, mentally and verbally at once, forced into that one path Adama had intended. "SO SAY WE ALL!"

Adama stood there and nodded in satisfaction. He quietly ended with it as almost a prayer, "So say we all."

And suddenly, those present all reached forward and, unusual for a military officer to experience, many moved to embrace him, crying at the emotional release, trying to show their appreciation for his words, for his thoughts.

And calmly he accepted it, pouring all of the compassion and respect he had, giving comfort where it was needed. With infinite patience, he worked to heal the community and give them something they had long craved: Acceptance.

And when it was done, and those gathered had left, Byron was left, standing in awe having watched what had happened. He looked at Adama. "I can't believe it."

Adama asked calmly, "Believe what?"

Byron looked at him. "You've healed them. Not all of it, certainly, not everything we have suffered. But for the first time, the collected fear that our current safety is but a dream has begun to dissipate. They've become a part of this world, this people." He was having trouble expressing himself verbally. "They finally are starting to feel like they are _home_."

Adama nodded in satisfaction. "Good. It's time we all made that leap. You can't move into the future until you are certain of where you are now. And making yourself at home is a good first step."

Byron sighed as he looked at the people who had moved off. "We will have much to consider. Much we have to think about." He looked back to Adama. "But I do believe that there will be those who are willing to do as you ask. Because it is _you_ who are asking." He gave a wry chuckle. "It is strange experiencing loyalty from them directed elsewhere. But that is what has happened." He motioned toward the rest of the town. "I can say with absolute certainty that these are all yours now." He grinned. "It is actually quite refreshing to drop the burden of being the focus of _all_ of their hopes and dreams. Sharing it is quite revitalizing."

Adama chuckled himself. "Well, whatever we can do to help. I would suggest getting some counselors in here. The healing might have begun. But there is much to do. At least now, it can truly start."

Byron nodded and stepped forward to shake Adama's hand. "I don't know what will happen, when I will have an answer, but I will contact you soon."

Adama nodded and moved back into the raptor. Byron, and many other residents, watched as the small ship flew up into the sky.


	16. Confirmation

The freighter captain was sitting at a table at the drinking establishment. A prospective client sat in front of him.

"How much space will this take?" he asked the agent.

The agent pulled out an electronic pad and handed it over. The freighter captain looked it over very thoroughly. "I see. That seems straightforward." He looked up. "My question is: Why me? I'm certain that there are many regular traders for that port who could take this commission. Why ask me?"

The agent glanced around. "Yes. There are. But while there is nothing illegal, my employer also requires privacy. Competitors alerted too early to the cargo could undercut expected profits. And so he prefers to do business with those who are independent and who have a record of discretion. He is willing to pay well because he expects to make significant profit, sold properly."

The trader considered that. "I can buy that." He glanced once more at the pad. "This will add an extra leg to my travels. This will cost me extra fuel as well."

"What price would you find acceptable?" the agent asked.

The trader took his own pad and entered a figure, handing it over.

The agent considered it. "That seems a bit high."

The trader captain took a long look at the agent. "I'll go 5 percent below that, but only in the interest of future business. I make less profit than I could during my normal route in that area. But regardless, it has to be worth it."

The agent considered that. "Acceptable. I will have a contract ready before your scheduled departure time."

"Good. I leave out in six standard hours. Docking bay 2-9. I will meet you there in 5 and a half to finalize this."

"Agreed. I will see you then."

The trader began planning, once again, the changes in route to ensure maximum profit.

Several hours later, the agent and the freighter captain completed their transaction. The agent then went back to his quarters and, opening up a hidden compartment, he pulled out the communication unit. He typed in the information and hit send.

The powerful unit powered up and then transmitted. He then took the record of the contract and put it in the waste disposal unit, watching as was send off to be reduced to an unrecognizable sludge for recycling.

The agent felt the satisfaction – the hated parasite which controlled his life was satisfied. He was given freedom for enough time to drink a bottle and to sleep in a drunken stupor.

Tomorrow he would have to start working on the next job as demanded by his keeper.

* * *

The Ranger crew were hyper-vigilant as they scanned space in the area, looking for any ship, device, or broadcast in the area.

At the same time, the trainees and their equipment were being prepared for the next step. Captain Montoya smirked as he received the reports. "The gauges on the Nials have been modified. They will show the correct oxygen levels once they have launched."

Montoya nodded. "And the surveillance units have been prepped?"

"Yes, Shok-Na Montoya. We will be able to monitor the Nials and life support readings from hyperspace."

"Good." He glanced at the chronometer. "Let me know when we've arrived to the designated place."

As anticipated, the Nials began deployed. Montoya glanced at the screens and said, "Okay, Gentleman. Let's see how they do. Jump to hyperspace."

The White Star was soon in hyperspace. "Activate surveillance." The channel between fighters was now playing and the sensor-readings appeared on the screen.

Montoya looked to the training supervisor. "What do you think?"

The Minbari looked at the readings. "Trainee Lennier has done as he was trained to do. Trainee Findell is having some difficulty, though Trainee Lennier has attempted to lead him."

Montoya pushed down his frustration. "Keep an eye on it."

"Yes, Shok-na."

Montoya was listening in when Findell's resolve broke. He looked over to the training coordinator, who nodded in understanding. There was something wrong. Findell would have to be watched.

Montoya gave the order. "Jump."

The two trainees were soon recovered and Captain Montoya listened to the report. Lennier, he noticed, was very careful to ensure Findell's status was not tarnished by his momentary panic.

That was also something that needed to be corrected. His religious caste training and Minbari cultural bias was getting in the way. Montoya noticed it, but had to think about how to correct it. Montoya's problem was that Lennier was acting in strict accordance to his upbringing. He could have done a number of things, including making a discreet report off the record, but Lennier remained utterly quiet on Findell's difficulties.

Monotya could appreciate the man's utter loyalty to his fellow trainee, but his sense of discretion needed work. He would do well to learn Human methods of dealing with troubled fellow crew members. A Minbari would never consider such – if one spoke, one stood by their words to all and sundry. A Human would have found a trusted higher up and put in a quiet word, while still maintaining loyalty.

The Easter Egg hunt the next day once again demonstrated Findell's issue. However, by monitoring the conversation, even in Private mode, the true issue had finally been exposed. Lennier's loyalty to his fellow trainee was once again on display.

Montoya had cogitated on how to resolve the issue, and had finally landed on sending Findell to be a recruiting officer. It kept his honor while turning his weakness to a strength. And then Montoya had upbraided Lennier loudly, while quietly passing on his thanks.

It appeared that Lennier understood. The man still needed some work on when to be culturally flexible.

A few day's later, Montoya's mistaken beliefs on Lennier would be resolved.

Montoya was on the bridge when the call came in. "Captain. We have a message coming in from Babylon 5." The Ranger looked up. "It's President Sheridan."

"Put him onscreen."

"The request was Private."

Montoya's eyebrows rose. "Very well. I will take it in the message room."

Montoya moved to the closest room. Unlike Human ships, there was no private office for the Captain – Minbari didn't think that way. But they did ensure that a crew member would have a place to speak to family, clan, or others privately. Thus there was almost always a place where any crew member could speak to someone in private.

Montoya sat down, turning on Privacy mode and activated the comm. "President Sheridan. What can I do for you?"

"I need your help, Captain."

"Anything, Sir."

Sheridan paused. "I need you to do something."

* * *

Later, Montoya called Lennier up to the Bridge. "We've been recalled to Babylon 5. Immediately."

Lennier asked what he could. Montoya answered the question he was really asking. "It was President Sheridan."

Montoya could see the understanding in Lennier's face. He thought his mission, given by En'til'zha Delenn, compromised. Sheridan had told him what would happen.

Montoya left his Shok'nali in charge and made his way to the launch bay.

Montoya silently observed. Finally he spoke. "No. Take that Nial."

Lennier, startled, whirled around. "Captain. What do you mean?"

Montoya gave a smug smirk. "I know about your mission, quietly given by En'til'zha Delenn." He motioned toward the Nial he had offered. "This one is set up for scouting. An extra charge of atmosphere has been added, beyond what is considered normally the maximum amount. It also has a tracking unit, keyed so that its transmissions will look like background noise unless you have the _exact_ frequency. Otherwise it will sound like stellar RF."

Lennier's eyes showed his shock. Montoya nodded in satisfaction.

"The President knows that his wife has directed you to watch for certain things. He was upset when he found out, but he knows that of all of those who could act, you had the most flexibility. And so he told me to assist you."

Lennier was questioning. "Then why not tell me in front of the others?"

Montoya sighed. "Because he knew that this mission of yours is as secret as can be – even from the other Rangers. It is not a matter of trust, but it is a matter of what someone outside of the ship might see. To all eyes and ears, we will act as if you are on your own. Hopefully, you succeed.

"But the President did not want to allow his wife's friend to be put at unnecessary risk. As a Ranger you live for the One, you die for the One. This is dangerous. Yes, you could die. The President realizes that Delenn, as En'til'zha, has the authority to order as she sees fit. But his wish, in this case, is that you _live_ for the One.

"I will attempt to keep anyone from interfering. But if all else fails, send a message. This is a desperate gamble. I've modified the logs to make it look like you acted on your own. But do be careful. Your life, and the ability to report your findings, are utterly required. So, in private, and as quietly as I can, all I'm going to say is: Good luck."

Lennier gave the normal Minbari hand gesture used to acknowledge such a message.

Montoya nodded and left to continue the ruse.

* * *

It was a few days later and Sheridan spoke to his worried wife. "They found him. Alive. It was touch and go, but he was okay." Delenn's relief was obvious. "And beyond that – he's got the proof. We now have confirmation."

Delenn's eyes showed her understanding. "Do we tell Londo first?"

"We need to report it – he'll be there. Make certain we have the witness's testimony. Lyta can testify as to its accuracy – he didn't want to stay where the Drazi could get him so he's not here anymore. We'll bring in Jado and have Londo order him to tell everything. Then we'll bring in Stephen to testify about the Drak parasite and what it can cause. And then we'll have to tell them that they have to ensure their government treats this as though it _is_ the Centauri. Any spy in any other government has to believe that the Centauri are about to be attacked in retribution."

Delenn considered this. "But we can't allow them to take the blame."

"I know. Our 24-hour mandatory report window started thirty minutes ago – that's when we got confirmation. I've already ordered all White Stars not actively patrolling to move to hyperspace as close to Centauri Prime as possible without being detected. When the Narn, the Drazi, and the Brakiri send a fleet – we need a way to control them.

"I found out that the Hyperion has been finished – Ivanova is about to take it out on the shakedown cruise. I'm going to ask Earthforce to allow me to borrow Ivanova for this, as well as the Agamemnon and a couple of other ships. I've already put in the request through Lochley, to the EA President, and specifically to General Leftcourt. He's the only Joint Chief I know personally. And Ivanova is well-known enough to the other governments that they will listen to her."

Delenn considered that argument. "We will also have to go."

Sheridan wanted to immediately protest – he wanted Delenn safe. But he nodded. For the first time, the Alliance would go to war.

* * *

Susan Ivanova stood on the command deck of the EA Hyperion. It hadn't been changed much in the retrofit. Unlike Omega-class ships, the chairs still had restraints on them because most Hyperion-class ships had no gravity.

When the systems had been changed over, she had seen no reason to change this. Something she had often found strange was that ships under gravity almost always had no restraints, allowing the crew to be knocked out of their chairs. Theoretically, this was done so that a crew member could retreat quickly from an exploding console, but if things were that bad, usually retreating didn't help much.

She had told them to leave the restraints.

In the same way, several handholds that were standard had been left in place. If the ship was rocking, having a place to grab could help.

She had removed the tether systems, which were used in Zero-G to assist with navigation around the ship. Under gravity, there was no purpose to them. The areas of the ship still under Zero-G still had them, but the command deck, secondary command, crew quarters, and engineering had no need for them anymore.

Several quarters had to be modified – because this ship operated at Zero-G, some quarters had been turned sideways or upside down. That had changed. It actually reduced available space, but kept everyone in the same orientation.

Thankfully, this had been done in a very minimal number of areas – Humans preferred a set "up and down" orientation even with Zero-G. But it still required quite a few modifications.

Water reclamation had improved – the new systems were as efficient as what was found on a Battlestar and much more efficient than the systems on an Omega. With assistance from the Kobollians, she had insisted on installing communal showers for all crew. They weren't unisex like they were on the Galactica, but they were far from private. Only command-level rooms had private showers. Hers was one of them.

In some parts, water and waste systems were unchanged. Zero-G systems operated strictly using air-pressure and pumps. However, the use of gravity increased efficiency and allowed the algae and bacteria treatments to use less equipment.

At least crew members could now use mugs rather than bags to drink coffee.

The retrofit had to include better ways to cook, serve, and eat food. The crew had to have facilities and the Zero-G systems were no longer the best way to go. Before, all meals had been individually served – there was no way to cook for large groups. While crew members often ate together, it hadn't been a "sit down and socialize" environment.

For the benefit of crew morale, the steward complement for the Hyperion had been expanded, while the environmental maintenance department had been reduced to reflect the fact that gravity made such things much easier to manage.

Her experience on Babylon 5 had served her in good stead, allowing her a much more realistic estimate of how many crew needed to work on different things.

Cleaning processes for the environment had to be changed over from Zero-G to more conventional ways.

There was a reason the retrofit took months rather than weeks.

The expertise of the engineers and military crew from New Kobol had been vital. Some of the systems that had been installed had formerly been for Battlestars that were no longer in service. In the future, new equipment would be manufactured specifically for Earth ships but in this case salvage had allowed a much quicker transformation.

Some manufacturing had been done by New Kobol. The entire crew quarters had been set up for Zero-G. There were no ladders, for example, for crew members to get to bunks further from the floor. These factors had to be taken into account. Beds had previously been more like compartments which you strapped yourself into.

Now, the crew compartments had been changed over to the same ones used on Omega ships. The New Kobol crew compartments were more cramped than most Earth Alliance crew members could have lived with.

And while Earthforce marines tended to go with a more unisex approach, Earthforce fleet personnel tended to be more conscious of gender. Officers especially were touchy on the subject. As a result, most crew compartments had been designated for one gender or the other. The exception was crew quarters for those with sufficient rank to be private.

With everything fully set, the Hyperion had been made ready for her shakedown cruise. Initial testing, short trips throughout the New Kobol system, had shown increased maneuverability and speed.

Because it had gravity, one did not need to be as careful when making turns. And because there was no need to large, rotating sections, the Hyperion didn't turn at a ponderous angle if it was moving forward.

An Omega could, if necessary, turn in place. If it had to turn while moving, it had to take large sweeping turns so as not to have inertia significantly effect gyroscopic stability. Under gravity, however, the Hyperion could turn on a much smaller arc. It wasn't as maneuverable as a White Star, but it was significantly better than anything else Earth Alliance had that wasn't a fighter.

In fact, Ivanova had specifically ensured that the pilots now assigned all had Starfury qualifications. While it couldn't turn as quickly, the Hyperion could, theoretically, turn as needed to ensure optimum placement to engage. Ivanova had specifically tasked the pilots to practicing turns in place at very specific angles.

Earth Alliance cruisers tended to line up one next to the other so as to prevent accidentally angling themselves toward a friendly ship. However, if the ship needed to turn, it had to then move forward or backward a distance before doing so.

Ivanova had the pilots practice turning using yaw, pitch, and roll. Lined up next to another ship: Use pitch. Set above or below another ship: Turn using yaw.

The Hyperion thrusters had deliberately been limited to prevent extreme turning so as not to cause damage. The limiters had now been modified to reflect the improved control.

When the project had come within two weeks of completion, the Nova-class ship, EAS Schwarzkopf, which would be the next ship upgraded with gravity systems, brought the crew members which would be deployed on the ship. The Schwarzkopf docked at Lobo Negro while the majority of the crew transferred.

A lot of crew members, formerly used to ships with no gravity, had begun to familiarize themselves with the newly-upgraded ship. Some of the crew members would begin the planned removal of now-unneeded systems. The Hyperion-upgrade had allowed the planning group to prioritize. They knew what was no longer needed, what needed to be changed out, and what would stay, for the most part, the same.

When the completion was four days away, the crew members had all been berthed. The new Executive Officer, Lt. Commander Shawn Mulaney, had taken over ensuring the different watches and duty stations were organized.

The maximum crew complement had gone from 350 to 530 – the removal of exercise systems to help crew members retain health on Zero-G ships had allowed an increase in complement. It wouldn't take a thousand crew like an Omega, but it allowed a larger crew than any other Hyperion.

EarthForce wanted as many crew as possible to get experience on the ship so that later ships would have experienced crew members. The shakedown cruise was, at its heart, a training crew for Earth Alliance military in operating ships under gravity which was not the pseudo-gravity created by rotating sections.

As a result, every department had been not only filled but overfilled. Instead of two or three watches, there were four: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta.

Water reclamation systems, as designed by New Kobol engineers, were more than sufficient given that most crews expected vibe showers. There could not be long luxurious showers, but showers were much preferred. Galactica crewmembers, waiting for their own flagship to be finished, had time to train them to be conservative in use. The cultural difference took some sorting out (the Kobollians found the Earth attitudes toward gender separation amusing) but it was quickly resolved.

Crew members who were familiar with the weapons found that it was much easier now that they didn't have to lock themselves in to make adjustments or to make repairs.

Overall, the Hyperion upgrade had not only kept the quick movement compared to other Earth Alliance ships but had increased it.

* * *

"Captain." Susan looked over at the Bridge officer. "Message coming in on Gold Channel. It's General Leftcourt, Chairman Joint Chiefs."

"Put it up."

The screen changed from the view of space to her boss. "Captain Ivanova. Your ship is now ready for deployment?"

"Yes, Sir. All crew members have been berthed and duty schedules have begun. Initial training has been completed. Now it's a matter of gaining experience."

"Good. You're going to get some experience right away." Susan straightened up. Leftcourt pushed a few buttons. "I'm transmitting your new orders. Your old CO has made a specific request."

"Sir?" Ivanova said.

"Yes. You've been getting the reports on attacks against shipping?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Well, according to the report, details which are included, they've figured out who and what. To be honest, Earth Alliance has no experience with what the report says, but you do. You remember the report of what was found on the former Homeworld of the Vorlon's enemies? The ones that left?"

"Yes, Sir. I remember."

"Well, they've subverted another race. Your going to be involved in ensuring that this is managed. You're being sent coordinates. Once underway, contact President Sheridan for details. Once this operation is complete, we expect your ship back home to let the brass and the politicians see what the Hyperion can do now. I expect details reports of this operation. The future of the EarthForce budget will be reflected in how successful your ship is. So I expect glowing reports from observers. You understand, Captain Ivanova?"

"Yes, Sir. We will do as much or more than expected."

"I hope you do." He checked his computer. "The orders have been sent. I expect to hear from you as soon as this operation is done."

"Yes, Sir. You'll be contacted immediately."

"Good. Leftcourt, Off." The screen turned off. She sat down and opened the orders, inputting her command codes. After a quick review, she gave her crew its orders. "I'll be in my office reading the mission breifing." She turned to Mulaney. "Colonel, you have to con."

"Aye, Captain."

Ivanova stalked off the deck, already knowing that this situation would be a clusterfuck.


	17. Resolution

President John Sheridan of the Interstellar Alliance walked in to the chamber with a stoic look upon his face. For the first time in weeks, the entirety of the Alliance ambassadors were all present. The desk for Advisory Council members was also filled save Sheridan's. There were five seats. The three Advisory Council members were present. Also present was Captain Lochley of Babylon 5.

Sheridan saw the filled seats. All were watching expectantly.

"Good afternoon. As of 23 hours ago, we have now verified the source of the attacks against Alliance shipping interests. And although there have been rumors and we have had some idea for longer, we didn't have proof until now."

The Drazi and Brakiri ambassadors both stood. Because these two governments were the ones that engaged more than most others. Ambassador Kullenbrak spoke after the Drazi Ambassador moved to sit back down. "Who, Mr. President?"

Sheridan looked at the Ambassador and said, "The Drak are behind it."

There were murmurs among the ambassadors. None sounded pleased. Londo stood up.

"Ambassadors. Please let him finish."

Sheridan turned and nodded. "The Drak are behind the attacks but the attacking vessels are those of a government that has been suborned at the highest level. The ships that are attacking your vessels are not Drak. They are Centauri."

There were sounds of outrage. Many looked at the stoic Londo Mollari. Finally, Elizabeth Lochley stood up. She put her fingers to her lips and blew. A loud whistle sounded cutting off the babble. Lochley nodded. "Good. Ambassadors. Please listen to the evidence. Once that is done, you can be as outraged as you like. But notice that Ambassador Mollari has sat here and not protested. He brought a portion of the evidence to the President – and while he is not happy he will testify as to the culpability of at least one high-ranking Centauri. You should at least listen the evidence before making decisions."

The Drazi ambassador looked at Lochley. "Why are you here?" he asked.

Lochley looked surprised. "Isn't Earth a part of the Alliance?"

"Yes. Sheridan speaks for Earth."

Lochley shook her head. "No. President Sheridan passes on requests and reports to Earth, but actually he passes them through me as I am the highest ranked Earth representative in this area of space. As I'm sure you're aware, because of his history Earth has … concerns about his fully representing Earth interests. As he was elected President of the Alliance, Sheridan represents all of you, all of us really, and the interests of the Alliance as a whole. If he needs something from Earth, he informs me and I contact Earthdome.

"As regards the matter at hand, I'm here because Earth is part of the Alliance and has to be presented the evidence that you are being presented. Earth Alliance was informed that the matter was coming to a conclusion. However, Earth has already sent a field commander and ship to take part in the operations as demanded by the Alliance.

"The Rangers, according to their mandate, cannot fight offensively. The White Stars cannot take part in operations against any individual government save in protection of others. They can provide tactical information and intelligence, but cannot actually fight your battles.

"You demanded President Sheridan find out the source of the attacks and inform the Alliance. You then demanded him back up the actions that you demanded. He has already begun preparing to assist you by requesting Earth provide a field commander." Sheridan nodded in agreement.

There were murmurs and voices. The Brakiri spoke. "I find it suspicious that Earth is being so helpful. They didn't get involved with the Shadow War. Yes, they led against the Dilgar. That was 30 years ago. But there isn't an Earth Captain who our people will listen to."

Sheridan looked unhappy, though he was hiding his smirk. "I'm sorry. I will be sure to pass on your lack of confidence in Captain Ivanova. I'm certain she will be heartbroken."

At that the entire room stilled. The Drazi ambassador asked tentatively, "Captain … Ivanova? The Voice of the Resistance Ivanova?" The ambassador's voice definitely showed some nervousness.

"Yes. Captain Susan Ivanova, commanding the EAS Hyperion. She oversaw the upgrades to give the Hyperion artificial gravity at the New Kobol shipyard," he motioned to Tory Foster, who nodded, "as well as upgrades to the ship's weapons. She's been off the front line and now she's really wanting to see what her new ship can do. But if you think she's not good enough …."

"NO!" The Drazi ambassador was emphatic. "No. Captain Ivanova is acceptable." He looked at the other ambassadors. "Does anyone disagree?"

The silence was profound.

Sheridan hid his amusement. "I'm glad to hear that. As Captain Lochley said, I requested Earth at least get involved and they provided Captain Ivanova." He looked around. "Earth's former internal troubles prevented EarthGov from assisting with the Shadows. But I and Babylon 5 _did_ assist. Captain Ivanova was a key commander. We helped lead that fight. There is now a new version of that old threat – the Drak were allies of the Shadows. Ambassador Mollari, En'til'zha Delenn, and Ambassador G'Kar will ensure that you have all the evidence. You will have to decide in what way you act. But the Alliance will want to ensure that civilian casualties are avoided. That is a primary portion of Ivanova's involvement: To ensure the response is appropriate and the target is the _right_ one."

Kullenbrak said as he sat down, "Then present your evidence."

The evidence was rather exhaustively presented. Jado's testimony, as well as G'Kar's held great weight. Londo's willingness to allow it all was quite the revelation for most of them. They had anticipated the Centauri ambassador being vociferous in saying it wasn't the Centauri's fault. This almost humble approach calmed them down.

When Londo then told the others he had to report the findings to Centauri Prime and after he explained how he would present it (so as not to alert the Drak), the Advisory Council withdrew to allow the Alliance members to discuss it and to decide what they felt should be done.

* * *

Lochley had followed Sheridan out. She asked, "Is it just me or were the ambassadors very nervous about Ivanova? Especially the Drazi." She looked at Sheridan and Delenn. "Was she just that successful as a battlefield commander?"

Sheridan chuckled. "Actually, while she is respected, the Drazi's nervousness stems from something else. Susan was … quite involved in their last … election cycle. When I was first assigned as B5 commander, I decided to let Ivanova practice diplomacy and we had Drazi fighting each other all over the place. I ordered her to handle it. She actually was, for a time, the ultimate leader of a sizable portion of the Drazi population. You should read the reports. Her reputation was widely circulated after that incident. Let's just say that the Drazi, as a people, are now … very leery about getting on her bad side."

"I see," Lochley said thoughtfully. "I'll have to look at that in more detail." She looked at the others. "What do you think they'll do?"

Sheridan sighed. "They'll want to attack Centauri Prime. Despite the testimony, history isn't on their side. The Centauri were heavily influenced by the Shadows and were, effectively, at war with everyone except Earth, which stayed out of it. And EarthForce officers, despite our claims of independence, were instrumental in the Shadows' defeat. The Centauri only threw the Shadows off on the day the war ended. No Centauri fought on 'their' side. With the current situation, and while they recognize that outside influence is involved, it _is_ Centauri ships attacking their people. They'll want to send a message."

Delenn sighed. "The fighting we have all wanted to avoid will come, whether we wish it or not."

Sheridan turned to Delenn. "Would we be stepping on anyone's toes if we asked for warrior caste Minbari to also get involved?"

Delenn was taken aback in shock. "Why do you ask this?"

Sheridan paused and said in a thoughtful tone, "The Rangers are, for the most part, a Minbari-created organization. But they are now the martial arm of the Alliance. But their mandate is not to get involved in wars. It is to create the peace. Whatever else can be said, the Minbari warrior caste know war and battle. The Sharlins have sensors that other races lack, outside of the White Stars. For the most part, the warrior caste has been … marginalized. Or at least that could be how they see it. Their mandate is to protect Minbar, its people, its allies. But Adama, the Admiral in charge of the New Kobol fleet, has gained their assistance with their conflict with the Cylons – a fight that I am glad that the Alliance has had no part of. Even the warrior caste has to base their fighters on New Kobol ships because their own ships cannot go where the Cylons are.

"But the Minbari are a part of the Alliance. The warrior caste might not want to get involved. But they might be insulted if they are not asked."

"So you do not want to demand their assistance, you wish to inquire if they wish to assist."

Sheridan nodded. "Their assistance would be valuable. But Minbar almost single-handedly ensures that the Rangers are properly trained and outfitted, while Earth foots a lot of the bill for logistics. We have no real right to demand more from your people. But like Earth, they at least need to have the option."

Delenn considered it for a long moment. She nodded decisively. "I will inform the Shai Alyt personally." She looked up. "Excuse me."

Sheridan nodded. He had a deep hesitancy in trusting the warrior caste because of his history. He would have never, himself, even considered the idea. But Adama had shown him a successful approach: Rather than justify yourself and attempt to placate; inform them of pertinent details, provide the needs that must be met, and leave it up to them if they wished to involve themselves.

He could see frictions of certain types being made worse, but at least he could understand the Minbari warrior caste motivations better than he did many other races. He could deal with them if needed.

Before Delenn returned, Londo himself arrived. Sheridan looked at his face and knew. "They refuse to believe it."

"Yes," Londo replied. "They consider these findings a fabrication and, as a result, I have been ordered to return to Centauri Prime. It is expected that the Centauri will remove themselves from the Alliance."

Sheridan nodded, knowing that was a chance. "And Vir?"

"He, at least, will be left as the Centauri Liaison." Londo looked at Sheridan. "Now begins a very trying time for my people."

Sheridan wondered, "Have you spoken to Stephen?"

Londo was confused. "About what?"

Sheridan looked at Londo. "From what we know, these keepers are almost entirely composed of neurons. They fuse with a host to control and monitor his actions. Are they any neurotoxins which could be used to prevent one from attaching to you? A way to make your body poisonous to them?"

Londo paused, astonished at the idea. "What made you think of this?"

"I was thinking about how … terrifying the idea of being taken over by a parasite was. In medicine, killing a parasite is done by using a poison to infect it which is less poisonous to the host, or insufficiently poisonous to the host compared to the smaller parasite. I don't know what substances a Centauri's body would allow but which other races are would find dangerous. But at least Stephen could be asked."

Londo considered it. "I am not a doctor. But perhaps there is value in asking someone who is."

"Something to consider."

"Well, I am certain they will be soon be deciding. I will return soon." Londo turned and walked off.

* * *

As he walked back towards his quarters, he thought about what Sheridan had said. And despite claiming a lack of expertise, the Centauri were very familiar with poisons of many types. As he had told Refa when he had forced him to stop associating with Morden, in the grand old days of the republic, poisoning ones enemies was a common tool for business and trade advantage.

And, because the Centauri had a long history of dealing with other races, there were poisons that had been concocted which were deadly poison to anyone not Centauri. Because of politics, this particular usage had fallen out of favor, had been banned after a few other races had complained. Also, the Dilgar had used similar means and most races despised their use for this reason. Everyone hated the Dilgar.

Although these compounds had been banned for a century or more, there were still sources for them on Centauri Prime – if one knew where to go for them. And if the Drak had only recently involved themselves with the Centauri, he was fairly certain that these poisons would be unknown to them.

The testimony provided had alluded to the fact that these parasites, these "keepers" that would infest a host, were not telepathic in nature. They could control one's actions and how one reacted, but they could not read the mind of their host. The smuggler, Captain Jack, had been able to give a message for his daughter before he died and lie in doing so, because the keepers could now read his mind. Like the Regent, he had made attempts, subtle attempts, to alert those around him that something was wrong.

And so Londo was going to put in a call to an old acquaintance on Centauri Prime. This man worked in the shadows, providing poisons for various purposes. He hoped that the man would have the one he needed.

* * *

Susan Ivanova, in her office off the deck of the Hyperion, listened to the status report from her executive officer. "So, there is extra stress on the engine struts."

"Compared to past readings: yes, Captain. However, it still falls well within the specs of the materials used. That area is specifically reinforced to prevent an attacker from taking it out in a dogfight. Under normal circumstances, the maintenance department wouldn't have brought it up. But if we are involved in a battle where we are making extreme turns _and_ the struts are hit simultaneously, it could cause them to have catastrophic failure."

Ivanova's mission, for this shakedown cruise, included far more analysis of structural conditions beyond what would normally occur. As a result, more of her time was taken up on reviewing reports from engineering and maintence.

"Will this be a problem on the Nova upgrade?" she asked.

"No. The Nova class, like the Omega, has that assembly encased within the larger superstructure. If a beam weapon hit that area with sufficient power to sheer it off, the ship would have far worse problems than losing the ion engines. Theoretically, we could lose the ion thrust engines and still maneuver using the thrust engines on the fuselage. We'd be much slower and wouldn't be able to jump, but we could still maneuver."

Ivanova nodded. "Time to rendezvous point?"

"We're still seven hours out. The hyperspace lane between New Kobol and Centauri space is a bit convoluted. But we'll be there before the Narn or the any League ships can arrive."

Ivanova grinned. "At least with gravity, we can haul ass much faster than even an Omega."

An Omega Class Destroyer had a heavy centrifuge to simulate gravity. And while this kept the crew from suffering Zero-G ailments, it did mean that the ship could not turn as quickly as a ship without the structure.

Artificial gravity, however, allowed ships to make almost hairpin turns – as long as the ship was designed to withstand them. In addition, you didn't have to worry about extra forces when you were coming up to full speed. The gravity field acted as inertial dampeners. So while the Hyperion couldn't maneuver like a White Star (she missed her White Star) it was far more maneuverable than any other Earth ship.

Her biggest worry was now reverse-thrust. Stopping the ship after it had built up momentum and inertia would tax those thrusters.

In hyperspace, the ship had to be in continual low thrust because there were massive gravitational forces which pulled on the ship. In normal space, however, a ship could theoretically fly for years on almost no thrust, only making very occasional corrections for the influence of celestial bodies.

As she continued to review and sign off on the reports, the comm chirped. "Ivanova."

"Captain, a call has come from Babylon 5."

"Put it through."

Her screen lit up and her old CO's face appeared. "Mr. President. I wasn't expecting your call yet."

Sheridan's face showed some strain. "Susan. The balloon is going up. I'm sending you a copy of the evidence from the Alliance meeting." He pushed a button and Susan saw the file was being received. "There are two copies. One includes all the data, including the information on the Drak. The other, the one given to Centauri Prime, makes no mention of the Drak. We don't want to tip them off that we know they are involved. Once we're done, look it over. You're going to be in charge of ensuring that the Drazi and Narn don't target civilians. They're pretty pissed – especially the Drazi. So you're going to be riding herd."

Susan felt like rolling her eyes. The Drazi always overreacted. "I see. And the White Stars?"

"Lochley reminded me of a pertinent fact. My treaty, the Rangers are not able to assist in offensive wars unless they are protecting Alliance members. This attack is retaliation – and my hands are tied and I can't stop it. Any White Stars in the area can only protect civilians, help scan for enemies, and watch. The moment that the Drazi and Narn go too far, you have to step in. You can send the White Stars to stop them."

"Too far? What's too far?"

"I'm leaving that to your best judgment."

She looked at the President incredulously. "Best judgment? My best judgment is that this whole thing should be avoided."

"I know. But the Alliance has voted to allow this and I have to follow their mandate. I've included the resolution. That's your guideline."

"Yes, Mr. President. I'll read this over and call back with any questions."

"Good. You'll also have a few Sharlins from the warrior caste who'll be following your lead. They'll be observers – but will also act to prevent atrocities at your command."

"Warrior caste?" she asked. "Isn't it just the Rangers?"

"No. The Minbari are Alliance members. We decided to ask them if they wanted to get involved – and they did. So they'll be coming in to act in concert with your command. Make certain that there is as little collateral damage as possible."

She understood. "I'll do my best, Sir."

"Good. I'll be expecting regular reports – as long as it doesn't interfere with your job. Sheridan out."


	18. Plagues and other Conundrums

Admiral William Adama looked over to his OOD. "Captain Gaeta. How long before you're ready for the next jump?"

"Our calculations will be complete within ten minutes." Felix Gaeta's expression was earnest.

"Good. We're not in a rush – but I would prefer having our options kept open in case of contact."

Bill Adama, commanding the newly refurbished Battlestar Galactica, was on the mission approved by President Grazier.

He remembered his orders quite clearly.

_"We've gotten almost every Kobol descendant out of that sector save the Cylon Collective themselves. At this point, our goal is containment: Pop up just regularly enough that they don't think they have lost us entirely and be certain to foment this Civil War among them at any opportunity. Let them fly around chasing ghosts._

_"But, since it would be hard to justify just flying around randomly, I am authorizing the mission to find the Temple of Five. We've pretty much gotten all the relevant information as to our true history, thanks to what the Vorlons left Lyta Alexander with as well as a slew of luck, but the Temple is of historical value to us._

_"And since it is a source for algae, which does have a number of uses, I'd rather find it. So your mission will involve taking Col. Tigh, Master Chief Tyrol, and Samuel Anders along a route as close to their original as possible and see if you can locate it._

_"If you run into any Cylons, you are authorized to command the ships as you see fit, with this exception: You are NOT allowed, under any circumstances, to lead any Cylon-commanded ship out of the Kobol sector and to this sector without explicit authorization from myself with Senate approval. You are not allowed to give any Cylon not already in the know any indication as to where they might go, even if they are ultimately against the bastard who started this whole shooting war._

_"Our people are safe and I want to keep them that way. If there is a choice between leading them back and your destruction – we will mourn you and call you all heroes. Do you understand my orders, Admiral Adama?"_

_"Understood, Mr. President. Completely." And he did._

_"Good. You are authorized to return to your ship and begin."_

This had led the Galactica with two supporting Gunstars to map and visit several systems along the original flight path between the Cylon Earth and the Twelve Colonies, the route that the Final Five had originally taken but in reverse. They were hoping to find the planet soon.

Of the three ships, coordinates out of the sector were kept off of any computer, in case a ship was captured. If the personnel who could map the route died, the ships were ordered to return to the Twelve Colonies at Ragnar or to Copernicus, as these were two locations that other Battlestars would visit to ensure no more arriving refugees would be missed.

Several minutes later, Gaeta sounded off. "Admiral, the next four jumps have been calculated. Coordinates have been sent to the Gunstars."

"Good. Set Condition One throughout the ship, and start the clock: 5 minutes."

"5 Minutes, Aye!"

Even if they didn't anticipate any Cylon contact, they were prepared for it.

Just five minutes later, the ships winked out. And in another system, twelve light years away, three ships appeared.

"Check Dradis!"

Gaeta and his people quickly reviewed the instruments and Gaeta called out, "Nothing on Dradis, Admiral. We appear to be clear."

"Good." He turned to his XO. "How does this sector look?"

Tigh and Tyrol, both present, looked at the instruments and the maps. Galen looked at Tigh, who returned to the look. Tigh answered, "It's starting to look familiar." He peered at the instruments. "Mr. Gaeta. How long before we hit that star cluster? From what we remember, it was near to that."

Gaeta checked his readings and, consulting his people, finally had an answer. "We can be in that vicinity in three to twelve jumps, depending on how far we push each jump."

Tigh nodded and looked at Adama, who was considering. "We're not in a huge rush here. Let's see what this system has and then plan for half a dozen more jumps, visiting each system as we go. We're not managing a civilian fleet so we don't have to be so careful. Check the readings and see if there is anything useful in the area. Just make certain we have the next jump keyed in just in case."

"Aye, Admiral." Gaeta quickly began coordinating with the crew on all three ships, ensuring they were ready for the next jump even as other crew began taking readings on the local system.

* * *

Galactica went on to execute three more jumps. On the fourth jump, there was a difference. As the crew checked their instruments, one called out: "Dradis contact!"

"Where?" Adama answered gruffly.

The crewman gave the direction and distance. "Recognition codes?" he asked.

Gaeta, who had immediately begun work, called back, "Reading one Cylon basestar!"

"Vector?"

Gaeta checked his instruments once more. "It's just sitting there. Unmoving."

Adama peered at the information visible. "Any raiders?"

"No, Sir. It's sitting as though it's derelict."

Adama looked at Tigh. "What do you think?"

Saul peered at the readouts as well. "I don't like it. But we need to know what it's doing." He paused. "Send vipers to recon."

Adama considered that a long moment and said, "Sent a raptor – they have better scanners. Send Blue Squadron as protection."

Tigh nodded and started barking orders. Despite the knowledge of his nature and his recovery of memory, he was still a gruff and exacting man. He might have been a scientist in the past, but right now he was a New Kobol officer.

After several minutes of listening to the reports and directing the fighters, Adama finally gave the order. "Okay. Let's land on that thing and find out what's happening. Why is it just sitting there?"

Gaeta opened the channel. "Galactica to Scout. You are directed to land on the Basestar and investigate."

"Scout to Galactica. Acknowledged. Moving to landing bay on upper pylon."

Adama spoke, after ensuring his voice would be heard. "Keep in contact and give us a running report as you go. And be ready to get out of there if this is a trap."

"Yes, Sir."

The pilot on the raptor let the marines with him go first – he had a squad of five for just this scenario. Gripping his own weapon, he followed as the marines led the way. "There are no raptors on board. No sign of Cylons, centurions or Humanform."

"Acknowledged."

"Moving to command center."

"Acknowledged."

The marines continued leading the way. However, as they entered the command level, they saw their first Cylons. "Humanform Cylons! All appear to be fallen randomly!" After a moment the pilot continued. "All are model Eights."

There was a pause. "Are they asleep or dead?"

One of the marines moved forward and nudged one of them. "They're breathing, Lt. But they appear to be in distress."

The pilot passed them on. There was an immediate answer. "Put on your breathers and fall back. We're going to send a team over with medical scanners and suits. We don't know if there is a poison or a disease. So you're quarantined there until we know more."

The marines all looked startled. The pilot called back. "And if we run into trouble?"

"Retreat to the raptor but do not, I repeat, do NOT land on the Galactica until cleared."

"Understood."

* * *

It was a an hour later when Cottle (who had decided to remain on the ship (more to avoid the annoyance of civilian life than any fervent desire to serve) called Adama to the medical bay.

The gruff doctor said, "Thank the Lords of Kobol for those scanners we picked up from the Minbari. It would have taken much longer if I had to do it manually. But we found out what it is."

"Well, Doctor, what is it?"

"Well, the Cylons have something called 'meningoencephalitis' – caused by the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. It's something that about 10 percent of Earth humans have antibodies for naturally, but it's included in standard immunizations because it's carried by mice and rats – and Earth has had a problem with rodents stowing away as long as we have. Ironically, all Colonials had natural antibodies for it – whether natural or introduced I don't know. But it's not something we have to worry about."

Adama felt a great relief. "So we can bring our people out of isolation." The marines had been brought back as soon as a containment area had been set up.

"Sure. I guess Cylons never considered those antibodies when they made their bodies – Human evolution provides a lot of protections. But I guess they never ran into it."

"What about the Cylons our people brought back? Can we cure them?"

Cottle considered it. "Well, we did pick up some antivirals when we supplied for this mission. I'd have to check if any of them are good for this virus. It's just not something that we paid any attention to because we don't have a problem with it."

Adama mused, "It is tempting to see if we could weaponize it."

Cottle was immediately more stoic. "Well, you won't get my help doing that. It violates every oath a doctor takes."

Adama motioned Cottle an apology. "I said it was tempting. I didn't say I would do it. Cylons, at least Humanform models, are recognized as sentients according to our new constitution. We're not in a state of emergency any more and our laws and treaties with the other Alliance worlds prohibit biological warfare. I would never do it or go along with it."

Cottle could see that Adama was sincere. "Well, good. It's not something to even joke about."

Adama knew that he had offended his old friend. "I know. It was a random thought. Check out the antivirals and see if we can treat the ones we brought back. They might be the enemy, but they're still sentient. Let's do what we can."

Seeing that the Admiral had not been bereft of humanity, Cottle nodded in satisfaction. "Will do."

"Keep me updated, Doctor."

Cottle nodded and turned back to begin the search and treatments.

* * *

Adama reached the Bridge. "Okay, people. We can let our people out – the Cylons have something we're immune to. The medical people are going to see if we can cure our prisoners/refugees."

There were several relieved faces.

Gaeta suddenly spoke. "Admiral. Reading a spike in the Basestar's reactors!"

"Get our vipers away from there. Move us and the Gunstars away," Adama ordered urgently.

Gaeta scrambled to alert the fighters that had been flying around, ready to do what was needed, as well as the Gunstars who had been put between the Galactica and the basestar.

About sixty seconds later, the basestar exploded. Gaeta read his instruments. "Basestar completely destroyed. All that remains is debris."

"Okay, then. Bring our vipers home and have the Gunstars search out the area. It's likely they came here because it was far away. The one Cylon who woke up said that they would resurrect with the disease. So it's not likely there will be more Cylons in the area. But keep an eye out. We're going to stay right here until we know if this can be treated or not."

"Yes, Admiral." Gaeta began passing along the orders.

* * *

By chance, one of the antivirals that had been brought was used to treat the virus which caused the Cylon plague. And though several of the Eights brought back died, about seven of them were saved.

Cottle was tired as he gave his report. Adama looked over at Saul. "So, we can treat this. What do we do about it? Should we try to pass this on to the Cylons?"

Tigh considered it. "We'd have to get approval for that. Which would mean jumping back to the gate system so that our messages could get through. We're quite a few jumps away. And they might not buy it – they might consider it a trap."

Adama thought about it. "We're going to fire up one of the raptors that Athena modified – they have more efficient jump engines." He turned to look at Gaeta. "How many jumps to the gate system if we sent a raptor?"

Gaeta did the calculations. "Actually, it wouldn't be that long. We're actually moving parallel to the sector exit. I think they could make it in seven jumps there and seven back. We'd have to put on an extra fuel tank, though."

Adama paused and then said, "Let's do it. We'll stay here and ask. I'd like the Chairman and the President to weigh in. Get it done and let me know when they are ready to launch."

"Aye, Sir."

* * *

Susan Ivanova listened to her XO's status report. The ship was operating according to specs. The New Kobol people who were there to monitor the gravity systems reported no troubles.

Although the ship was prepared, it was known that there would be at least a day and a half before any other ships could arrive, at least any Drazi or Narn ships. Two White Stars had arrived and were scouting hyperspace for any surprises.

After the XO finished, Ivanova nodded. "Good. Carry on."

Suddenly, the intercom sounded. "Captain. Message coming in from Babylon 5."

"Put it through."

The screen changed and her former CO's face appeared. "Susan. We just got word. The Drazi and Narn are on the move."

"ETA?" she asked.

"I would give it 20 hours. We're on our way, but we're likely not to make it before the action starts."

"And my orders?"

"Unchanged. Monitor any action, protest with prejudice attacks against civilian centers, and keep an eye out for … unexpected involvement." Susan understood immediately he meant Drak.

"Understood, Mr. President. Can I expect any more White Stars before they arrive?"

"I've ordered the fleet mobilized, but the White Stars are far flung. Most will get there after things start. They have been ordered to defer to your directions."

"Thank you, Sir. I'll keep watch."

"Good. Babylon 5, Out."

* * *

Londo Mollari was very nervous as his transport moved through hyperspace. He glanced over to see that G'Kar was distracted by reading the reports Londo had downloaded.

He knew that he was moving into a very dangerous situation. He hoped his solution would be effective – he had paid a great price for it.

He sighed loudly.

G'Kar looked up. "Your dramatic sighs are distracting. I have to finish these and I would appreciate it if you would not make any noises."

Londo gave G'Kar a withering look. "Of course, I have no reason to be dramatic. It's not as if I am voluntarily traveling into inordinate danger." The sarcasm was dripping. "It's not as though there are enemies waiting for my arrival. Why shouldn't I be perfectly happy and cheerful?"

G'Kar looked at his old nemesis. "Yes. I know the danger. But you have no choice – you've already said that. And so, I have no choice. We will have to brace the viper in the nest it has made. We will succeed or fail. Trying to think about all the possible variations will only make you even more nervous. Relax. We still have a few hours before things become of an immediate nature."

Londo rolled his eyes and shook his head. "My people are facing an enemy greater than any other remaining; two supposed allies – on of them your people – are coming to attack my world; and there is a very good chance that none of us will get out of this alive. _You_ tell me to relax. I am _so_ glad that you are here to provide advice and comfort."

G'Kar just smirked and returned to the reports.


	19. Attack

Adama sighed as he looked at the CIC instruments, waiting for the raptor to return. "Why did I accept this mission?"

Tigh chuckled. "The Galactica was finished ahead of estimates. You spent too much time on planet and needed to feel space beneath you. And you didn't want to be available for that Centauri-Alliance war which was about to jump off. So you agreed to be sent out here, with the newly repaired Galactica, to be unavailable for a new war."

Adama looked at Tigh. "Yeah. We're still worrying about our old war. We're not ready to fight against the Drak, or their Centauri dupes. Still – it was a bit rushed."

"Just be glad those final three months they wanted to add on were cancelled. Extra laser emplacements would have been nice, but are unneeded for engagements with Cylon basestars."

Adama chuckled darkly. "If we end up in a straight up engagement, you'll be wishing we had those great big space lasers." Tigh gave a tight grin in answer. "But I think I was right to demand this mission. The Galactica hasn't been in the sector since Copernicus was evacuated and Terra fell. I was a bit worried that they would know that we took everyone out of reach rather than hiding them."

Tigh sighed. "Now we just have to play decoy to distract Cavil's side. Not a pleasant job but it's got to be done."

"That's the price we pay for having children." Adama was referring to the Cylon's being considered Humanity's children on New Kobol. "Sometimes they get messy and violent."

Suddenly, a voice interrupted their quiet conversation. "Dradis contact!" Adama and Tigh turned to Gaeta. "Sending recognition codes." After a long pause he said. "It's our raptor."

Adama gave a quiet breath of relief. "Bring them home. Let's see what the President has to say."

Within twenty minutes, the raptor had landed and the pilot was brought to the Admiral. "Welcome back, Lt. I assume you got through?"

"Yes, Admiral," the pilot replied. "I used stellarcom to reach New Kobol and, through them, Pallas Manor." Pallas Manor was the official residence of the New Kobol president, named after one of Athena's epitaths. "President Grazier's response is here." The pilot handed over the data device, before being dismissed.

Since acquiring data crystal technology from the Minbari, a new system had been implemented which allowed both re-writeable and permanently encoded crystals to be used. Small crystals of the permanent type were used to keep a record of formal orders and other things which required indelible records.

Adama took the data crystal stick and put it in the computer reader. After pushing a few buttons, the reply came up. Adama said to Tigh, "Well, it's official. We are allowed to pass on the information on the virus, vaccine, and treatment to any Cylon command ship we run into – if they will accept a communication from us without shooting first. New Kobol has declared this a humanitarian crisis."

Tigh was surprised. "I'm shocked. I would think that keeping it to ourselves would be the reaction."

Adama looked up from the screen. "The truth is that they don't want to have a disease out there which might affect Humanity, Earth specifically, in the future. If the Cylons can accept it and will treat their own people, then that makes Earth safer. Only ten percent of Earth humans have antibodies and not every resident received the immunization needed for space travel. Grazier and the Health Minister are worried it could be used against Earth if and when the Cylons find out about it. The rest of the cabinet agreed."

Tigh considered that. "Now we just have to make them believe that we're not lying to them. I remember Earth, _my_ Earth, the one I was born on. Trying to convince them to believe anyone considered an enemy … there's a reason that there are still quite a few Cylon prisoners even _after_ the President's speech. Humans are much more flexible when things change on them than us Cylons. Even with all the testimony and proof, a lot of those knuckleheads think we're _still_ lying to them."

Adama chuckled. "_You_ changed. And I thought I would see that just about ten minutes after the universe collapsed."

"Well, _we_ were just a bit more evolved than Cavil and his bunch. Terra losing their knowledge of their Cylon nature actually forced them to think less like machines than even we did on Earth. And our people were the idiots who recreated mechanical Cylons even after we _knew_ what happened on Kobol." Tigh shook his head. "And the stupidity just keeps on going."

"That's what you get for trying to be more Human – we're still trying to figure things out a couple million years after we started coming down from the trees." Adama was amused but tamped it down not to upset his XO; his old friend was being morose again. At least the man had stopped drinking.

Tigh was philosophical in response. "The price you pay for living – no species we've learned about seems to have all the answers. Even the Vorlons and the Shadows were flawed, and they had hundreds of millions of years on the rest of us."

"Even the Gods are less than perfect. There's got to be a lesson in there somewhere." Adama stood up. "Well, let's prepare what we're going to do when we run into another Cylon basestar."

* * *

Marcus Cole listened to the Ranger who was on scanners. "Shok-na. We have arrived to the staging area."

"Put me on with the EAS Hyperion."

The Ranger put the call in. "White Star 29 the EAS Hyperion."

"This is Hyperion. Welcome to the party." Marcus immediately recognized the voice and motioned to his man, who nodded.

"Well," he began, "as long as you give us time to put on our party shoes."

"Marcus," Susan's voice sounded. "I was waiting for you to call in." The voice had an almost flirty tone – as long as you knew Susan.

"I would have called directly if I knew you were there to pick up the phone. What have you heard?"

Susan's voice became more serious. "The invasion fleet is still a few hours off. But something isn't right."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"They've got to know that it's coming. But nothing of what we've been monitoring has shown any sense of urgency; no increased chatter to prepare to defend, no orders for extra ships. It makes no sense."

Marcus considered that. "Are they hiding the fact that there are ships coming?"

"Unknown." There was a beep on Susan's side. "Hold on, we're getting something." After a minute Susan's voice came through. "Marcus. Check you sensors. Is that the defense fleet from Centauri Prime?"

Marcus and his people checked thoroughly. "Yes. They're gathering in hyperspace. Wait. They're _moving off_."

"Damn!" After a moment Susan came back. "Marcus. Take four more White Stars and follow those ships. The rest of us are going to have to play guard for Centauri Prime. Protect any innocents but don't go out of your way to get killed."

"Understood." His people had the IDs on the rest of the White Stars going with them. "Engaging pursuit. Good luck."

"You too. Hyperion, Out."

* * *

Susan looked at her crew. "Okay, folks. Change of plan. We are moving to Centauri Prime space. We will defend civilian assets only. Any military targets are not our purview. Do you all understand this?"

"Yes, Captain!" was sounded from the bridge crew.

"Okay then. Move us to the jump gate and through."

Within a very few minutes, the Hyperion and the two squadrons of White Stars were in real space. There were no defenses active.

She looked over at her comm officer. "Anything? Anyone calling to ask why we're here?"

The comm officer was listening. "No, Captain. It's all quiet."

"I _really_ don't like this."

* * *

Down in the palace, the Regent was speaking, looking out the window. "They'll be here soon."

"Yes. We must prepare our forces."

The Regent turned and said, "It's going to be quite a sight." His manic grin turned serious. "And nothing must interfere. That's why I sent our fleet away."

"NO!"

"Yes." The regent looked off. "They _say_ that it's necessary. They say it will be what will needed to ensure that Centauri Prime is put right where it needs to be." The Regent focused on Londo. "They say that this will begin the price of driving off their masters."

"I'll be dead soon," the Regent said casually. "And then you'll be Emperor. It's too bad that you won't have any choice. No choice at all."

"What do you mean?" Londo asked, though he knew what was being said.

The regent looked down at his own body, and then Londo could see the parasite. It looked like an octopus from Earth, with one large eye. "You'll take my place. Or Centauri Prime will be destroyed. And no one can do anything to stop it."

Just as jump points were became visible from the surface, from behind a curtain the Drak controller came out. Virini looked frightened but then relaxed. "It's time."

The parasite that was on Virini disconnected and scuttled back to the Drak, who looked contentedly satisfied. Londo moved back and then rushed out of the room, even as the Regent fell.

Even as he ran, he pushed a button on a remote unit. He moved to where the court was gathered and rushed in. "The Regent is dead." The Court looked upset, but curious. "He did not die from natural causes, but was killed by an invader." He turned to the imperial guards. "As the Emperor presumptive, I am taking command. As of this moment, anyone in the palace save for G'kar who is not Centauri or a Ranger is considered a security threat and is to be killed. You will accept the assistance of the guards that I have just signaled who are from my own house. Any guard who attempts to kill a Centauri is to be stopped by any means necessary."

There were four guards in the room. One of them rushed off to pass on the order. Two moved to protect the Royal Court and Londo. One began raising his rifle, though it appeared he was fighting it. "GUN!" Londo shouted, pointing.

The two other guards saw the threat and, without hesitation, began firing. The entire court saw the small creature detach and skitter off. The guards tried to shoot it but it moved too fast.

The Royal Court, full of popinjays and courtiers were all horrified. Two women fainted. Londo ignored them. He looked at one of the Court, one of the less useless ones, "Retrieve G'Kar. Now!"

The man rushed off, fear in his face.

He looked around. "Someone needs to get me in touch with the ships which are now protecting Centauri Prime."

* * *

The Keeper moved back to his hiding place. He was wondering where the explosions were – there were ships in orbit but no attacks had begun.

He stopped and concentrated, attempting to activate another thrall.

* * *

The off-duty guard captain suddenly knew that something had changed. He was in his rooms, having drunken a lot of alcohol. Normally this was a death sentence for anyone in the Royal Guard, but he had been given 'special dispensation' because of his 'condition' – the Drak had allowed it, amused that these Centauri thought that such things would stop them.

Feeling the keeper begin to wake before it was his time to return to duty, the guard knew that matters had changed.

In almost all cases, the Drak could use the momentary hesitation of self-preservation to stop any thrall from killing himself. However, Royal Guards were trained to act instantly, without hesitation, despite any provocation. They were to die if their service required it.

The Guard acted instantly, punching his own body in a set place. The crystalline capsule imbedded in his own body, containing a virulent poison, immediately broke. And before the keeper could prevent it, the poison began coursing through the guards body, very near the heart. He died quite quickly, but not before he felt the panic of his keeper and had a chance to feel a sense of victory through the pain.

* * *

The controller knew that his safety net had been snapped. There remained on chance to recover. Mollari had been prepared for a keeper during his previous visit. Despite the fact that he would be killed, his possession, if only for a moment, could wreak havoc. This would allow his assistants to take him out of the secret ways.

He allowed the keeper he had been growing to disconnect and to skitter through the secret ways of the palace. It would find Mollari, and it would infect him.

* * *

Susan Ivanova was looking at the mass of ships that had just jumped in. She was taking to all of them. "This is for the Drazi and Narn attack fleet. The Centauri Regent, according to intercepts from the surface, is dead. The agent of the attacks against Alliance shipping is dead. The Alliance understands that a message has to be sent. But you are not authorized to approach Centauri Prime itself. You can attack the shipyards, and other military installations and then go. But any ship attempting to approach the planet and its civilian inhabitants will be stopped by the White Stars and the Hyperion."

Most of the ships in the attacking fleet began turning toward the shipyards, and these would be damaged greatly. But one particular Narn ship, captained by a Narn who had lost his entire family to the Centauri occupation, defied her order and began flying toward the planet.

"Get me that ship! Destroy engines and weapons if we can, but destroy her if we have to!"

Two White Stars moved to intercept. However, the Narn ship sent fire toward the planet, though it was still too distant for optimum damage.

The Hyperion turned, much quicker than any of its fellow Earth ships could, and fired across the front of the weapons array, destroying it. The Hyperion then moved to put itself in front of the ship.

The Narn cruiser, one of those that had been recovered after the war and rushed into service, refused to stop however.

"There's no reply to our hails, Captain!"

"White Stars have hit their main engines. They have thrusters only. They haven't fired."

"Prepare to fire," Susan ordered. She saw the crew was now ready. "Any change?"

"No, Captain."

"Fire."

The cruiser, commanded by a Narn mad with grief, blew up before it could accomplish its purpose.

Susan put it to the side of her mind and asked, "Any other ships getting any bright ideas?"

The command crew checked. "The ships that stayed back have now moved to join the other ships attacking military targets."

* * *

The Drak keeper felt instant satisfaction when he heard a distant explosion. The attack was beginning!

However, he immediately noticed that there were no further explosions. The keeper he had sent had sent a message that it had been successful.

It was time to retreat. The feeling of defeat, temporary he was certain it was, felt bitter. He moved to gather his people. But the Drak would have their revenge.

The Regent had ordered explosives set up across Centauri Prime, under his direction. He had only to send the command once he was on his ship, and Centauri Prime would see massive destruction. It would pay the price. The remote was in his ship, and it required just a push of a button. The Regent hadn't had a chance to explain, but no matter. The lesson would be given.

* * *

The Mollari House guard moved with his fellows, having taken orders from the Royal Guardsman as soon as they arrived. Seeing the hidden door that had been described, he entered the passage. Peering at the alien he saw in profile, he immediately knew that this wasn't a Centauri, Human, or Minbari. He immediately opened fire.

The keeper died without having made it back to his ship. But a keeper skittered off to ensure that his will was followed.

Unfortunately for the keeper, the Mollari House Guard was a better shot than his fellow earlier. The keeper died without making it.

* * *

The keeper that had rushed toward the Emperor presumptive had been killed by an alert guard.

Londo remarked to G'Kar, who had arrived just before, "Perhaps my insurance won't be necessary."

"Insurance?" G'Kar asked.

"Yes. I took a poison, only deadly to non-Centauri. Just in case. I did not want to chance being implanted."

G'Kar was impressed. "Maybe all of your people should take it."

Londo chuckled darkly. "No. The price is heavy – I am now sterile. But I did not plan on having children anyway, so it is not much loss." His tone was ironic.

G'Kar could see that this was a painful subject, so he dropped it. "What progress is there on reaching the ships in orbit?"

"None, so far. The Guards are currently more interested in securing the palace. The Regent's death has confused the court. But I am certain that things will become more calm soon."

* * *

The Shadow Surgeons, another race that had worked for the Shadows who now followed the Drak, knew that their leader had been killed. It was time to retreat. They quickly moved to the ship hidden in a bunker below the palace. They would escape in the confusion and report to their new masters.

None of them had the knowledge of the remote control for the explosives. They were certain, however, that there would be some type of trap – the Drak were thorough. They achieved their ship and launched.

* * *

One of the Hyperion staff called out, "Captain. Small ship launching from the area around the Palace."

"Type?"

"Unkown."

"Show me on the monitor."

The screen showed the ship, very different from Centauri or any other known type. "Alert the White Stars to capture or destroy that ship."

"It's transmitting a signal on an unusual frequency, Captain."

"Jam it!"

Another CIC crew member called out, "Jump point forming."

None of the crew members save one receognized it. Ivanova called out, "Delenn showed me these – they're Drak. Signal the White Stars and the attack fleet. Our true enemy has appeared."

Drak fighters moved to protect the shuttle, but a White Star destroyed it.

"Turn the ship so our main guns can be brought to bear."

"Drak fighters moving toward us."

"Launch the starfuries. Concentrate on the main ship."

Almost instantly, the small six-man squadron that were berthed on the Hyperion launched and moved to protect the Hyperion's flank.

"Attack position achieved, ma'am," the pilot called out.

"Target anything looking vulnerable and fire," Susan ordered. "Give me an attack vector," she called out the numbers, "and engage."

Even as the Hyperion began moving toward the large ship, her main guns began firing toward the weapons, engines, and anything else that could be targeted.

The fight was short. Even before the Drazi and Narn ships could return, and before major damage could be dealt, the Drak broke it off and disappeared into a jump point, retreating from Centauri space.

One think did result from the Drak appearing: The Narn and Drazi ships, seeing that the Drak were involved, broke off their attack on Centauri military targets.

Having gotten some recompense, in their minds, they began jumping away. Soon, the only ships remaining were White Stars and the Hyperion. The Alliance attack on Centauri Prime was over.


	20. In the Aftermath

"Centauri group has moved to local jumpgate." The White Star squadron had followed the departing Centauri fleet. Several more Centauri ships had added themselves. Marcus had alerted Sheridan and Delenn and continued following them. The Centauri ships had all but ignored them, even though they should definitely have been seen.

"And where exactly are we?" he asked his navigator.

"We've reached the border of Drazi and Narn space, the nearest point to Neutral space between them and the Centauri," the Ranger replied stoically.

Marcus considered that. "That's not good. Signal the others: We're following them out – but we're jumping in our own."

The signals were sent and the five White Stars appeared in local space. They immediately saw that the Centauri were menacing a trading colony protected by only a small number of ships.

Across the comm channels, the Drazi and Narn present were attempting to warn them off. Several of the Centauri ships were holding back – but several were not.

One of the bridge crew called out, "Something strange on scanners, Captain."

"What is it?"

"The advancing ships show no life signs. The ones holding back do."

Marcus made an immediate decision. "Full speed toward advancing Centauri ships. Transmit our findings to all parties, immediately. Orders to all White Stars, attack and destroy all ships showing no life signs. Attack other ships only if they move to prevent us – weapons and engines only."

Although it was dicey at the beginning, Marcus' attack was successfully begun. At first several Centauri fighters from the other ships, the ones holding back were advancing, but then they retreated.

He hoped that was because the other ships had understood their transmission.

It was quite unnerving to be fighting Primus Class cruisers with Vorchans supporting them and a group of the same holding back. The saving grace of the battle was that the ships attacking had no fighters protecting their flank.

The defending ships also moved to assist the White Stars as soon as they began attacking.

One White Star was destroyed, in addition to four of the defending ships. Then one of the Vorchans disengaged from fighting the defenders and vectored toward the trading colony.

Marcus called out to the closest ships to attack at all costs. But that Vorchan was on the wrong side of the battle to stop the ship quickly enough.

Marcus, and all the rest of the defenders, felt shock when a several bolts of energy flew from an unexpected vector. It hit the Vorchan and hit one of the wings, causing its attack path to be fouled. If the ship had a crew it would have been able to compensate quickly. As it was, the ship took longer to recover. As a result, the White Star could then overtake and destroy it.

"Where did that come from?" he asked.

The Ranger on scanners called out, "One of the Primus' from the group holding back. It was an extremely lucky shot on the very edge of their firing range."

Marcus was relieved. That one shot could prevent many future problems. It demonstrated that, without a doubt, the Centauri were not truly attempting to attack the colony but another, infiltrating force had used them. At least that was what he would try to sell when he had time.

Soon, only two of the advancing ships remained. At that point, they turned and moved back toward the Centauri group.

Marcus made another immediate decision. "All ships, fall back. Get out of range."

The defenders immediately followed his order, even the Drazi and Narn ships.

The retreating Centauri ships, however, did not survive. As soon as the defenders were out of the way, the watching Centauri ships opened fire. The retreating Primus and Vorchan were destroyed quite quickly.

Marcus viewed the battle space. "Get me on with the lead Centauri vessel. Patch the message through to all other ships and colony."

Very soon, Marcus was seeing a distinguished looking Centauri on the screen. "Greetings, Captain."

The man said, "Actually, it is Admiral. Admiral Jarno Mari. To whom am I speaking?"

"Anla'shok Marcus Cole, Captain of White Star 29."

"Captain Cole. I am informing you that the ships attacking were not following the orders I gave the fleet I brought. We were to menace the colony, hopefully forcing the Narn and Drazi to recall ships to defend. When they moved to attack, it was not by my order."

"I understand, Admiral Mari. The Alliance had intelligence that there were Alien infiltrators which got control of a portion of the Centauri fleet, and it was these rogue ships which had been attacking Alliance shipping. While we don't know how many ships, it was enough to sow much discord."

Mari considered that. "I ordered my fleet to stay out of it after I read the information you provided. I did not want to add additional ships to a chaotic battle, possible causing what you humans call friendly fire. Once we saw that these ships were not under our control, we decided to keep you and us safer by not involving ourselves. I have sent a signal to the Fleet Admiral and to all fleets requesting all Centauri ships be recalled to Centauri space, thus ensuring that any remaining can be attacked with impunity."

"Thank you, Admiral. Your efforts are appreciated."

Mari sighed. "I might have brought myself to a position that will cause me to be charged with treason for not assisting other Centauri ships, but like most of us, I am tired of war. It did not seem rational to attack others who were only defending. But if I die, at least I die for the good of my people."

"Peace is worth dying for in the right circumstance," Marcus replied.

"Let us hope my superiors agree that these are the right circumstances. We will be leaving now. Let us hope that the Great Maker smiles upon our efforts this day. Goodbye, Captain Cole. And good luck."

"Good Luck, Admiral Mari."

The feed was cut off. The watching Centauri fleet turned and, opening jump points, disappeared from local space.

Marcus addressed the comm officer. "Transmit that conversation to President Sheridan and Ent'til'zha Delenn, along with the sensor logs of the battle. Let's hope that the attacks are limited. We're going to assist here unless we are ordered elsewhere. Let's find out what we can from the Centauri ships that were destroyed."

* * *

Over the next week, several battles took place. As requested by the Alliance and at the advice of their own military, all Centauri ships were ordered back to Centauri space.

As a result, any Centauri military ship appearing was treated as immediately hostile. And while there were losses, they were minimal.

The end of the conflict came when the Centauri transmitted their report of finding the base which was the source of the rogue ships. And while several Centauri ships were destroyed, the Drak were killed or forced to retreat and the rogue ships were destroyed or disabled sufficiently to remove the controlling technology.

The Alliance ambassadors on Babylon 5 had been briefed and the evidence of foreign tech had been shown to them, demonstrating that the Centauri ships that had attacked were not under the orders of the Centauri military directly.

* * *

It was a contentious meeting when the Ambassadors were briefed at the end.

The Drazi Ambassador was confrontational. "All of this is well and good, but it does not change the fact that it was Centauri ships attacking our people. Reparations should be made to the rest, who lost many ships and lives."

Vir, who was acting as Ambassador, stood up to reply. "Yes. It was our ships. But they were not under our control. Even the Regent, who was the one ordering the attacks, was not responsible. He was being controlled by a race who were allies of the Shadows, the Drak. The Centauri were _not_ your enemy."

There were many voices, many showing anger or disgust.

Tori Foster, Ambassador for New Kobol stood. Sheridan got everyone else to calm down. "Ambassador. You have the floor."

"Thank you. I realize that I have very little that can be said – our ships nor our space were attacked. Just as Earth and Minbari were not attacked. But I do have a question for Ambassador Cotto."

Vir looked interested. "Your question?"

"How many Centauri ships were destroyed during this incident? How many Centauri lives lost? How much will it cost to recover?"

Vir sighed tiredly. "We lost thirty percent of our fleet, most of those being controlled by the Drak. Several ships were lost in attacking the Drak base. Between the loss of our shipyards and the ships destroyed to remove the Drak influence, we lost 4,000 lives. The repair and replacement of the ships will be staggering, in addition to and the effort to recruit and replace the personnel. The shipyards alone will cost 1.5 Billion Centauri Ducats. The total cost is likely in the tens of Billions."

Tori nodded. "Thank you." She looked at the other Ambassadors. "Were any other worlds so negatively impacted as the Centauri during this incursion? Yes. They are a wealthy people on average, with a high standard of living. But their currency has fallen heavily because of this situation, and they will be paying for it for a long time. As one of the more powerful governments in the Alliance, can you, the members of the Alliance, really afford to create a weaker Centauri nation? A great part of the Alliance is mutual defense." She started tapping her fingers with each name in emphasis. "The Shadows, the Dilgar, the Oreni, the Cylons – who are still out there – as are the Drak: The chances of a new enemy showing up within the next ten years is, according to averages, quite high. Let us not shoot ourselves and make _all_ of us weaker by trying to humble an already hurting people, regardless of how powerful and wealthy you think they are. It would not truly be in our best interests." She sat down.

Regardless of how much he maintained a calm façade, Vir was quite moved for the plea on their behalf from one of the smaller governments in the Interstellar Alliance.

* * *

Negotiations proceeded apace. Vir's orders were to ensure that the Centauri were not humbled. Centauri pride was of prime importance in the Royal Court and Londo could not afford to allow the Centauri to appear weak. If the Alliance members insisted on reparations, Vir was ordered to accept it and then withdraw Centauri from the Alliance.

The Centauri were not willing to accept chastisement and to pay for being the victims of the Drak.

The final piece of evidence that Marcus Cole forwarded finally turned the tide back toward the Centauri. The record of the Centauri battle along with the Centauri Admiral ordering his own ships to destroy the rogue elements, and his reasons for doing so, convinced the other governments that the Centauri were not being warmongers.

The Drazi accepted the Alliance promise to assist with the lost goods and finally only demanded that the Centauri not be allowed to send out warships from Centauri space without alerting the nearby governments. Vir argued that the original demand requiring permission was a violation of their sovereignty. Any government could send military ships to defend their civilian trading vessels in neutral space. And while the Centauri did not do so, they insisted that they had the right.

The Centauri Ambassador to the Interstellar Alliance would inform the Alliance as a courtesy. At least that was the way the final agreement was worded.

* * *

Londo Mollari, second Emperor of that line, was on his throne. The coronation had been done almost immediately at the conclusion of the fighting. A final matter had to be dealt with, once negotiations had been complete.

Admiral Mari, former commander of the fleet which had been charged with defending the Centauri Shipyards, was brought before the Emperor. Present was the entire Royal Court, as well as the Fleet Admiral. Also present was Mari Jarno's family, being watched over by several more Royal Guards.

The man, lead by a squad of Royal Guards, stopped before the Royal Throne, and bowed to the man dressed in white, wearing the Royal Seal of the Centauri Republic.

"Admiral Jarno Mari. You stand before us to answer for your actions during the recent conflict with those who were involved with the conflict created by the Drak to punish our people for our work to throw off the yoke of their former masters, the Shadows.

"We have reviewed all of the relevant information and have come to a decision. Are you ready to hear our judgment?"

"My Emperor, I am ready." Mari stood stoically before the Court, prepared to die.

"Yes. That is good. According to the evidence, the following is true:

"1. You received and followed the order coming from the Royal Palace to move your fleet to the Colony at Beta 19," this was the Centauri name for the area formerly a Centauri world, "for the express purpose of drawing attacking forces away from Centauri space. This left no one to defend the Shipyards, which were subsequently attacked and virtually destroyed.

"2. During that journey, you allowed several Centauri Vessels to join your fleet, having received the confirmation codes that signaled they, too, had been sent to assist you.

"3. When you arrived, these additional ships advanced against the Narn and Drazi present, moving to attack the Colony.

"4. Instead of assisting these ships, you held back your fleet at the urging of the Alliance Rangers, accepting their word that these ships were being controlled by non-Centauri.

"5. When one of the Centauri ships moved past the battle and advanced toward the Colony, you ordered your ship to fire upon them and prevented them from their objective, thus allowing the Alliance to destroy the ship before it could attack.

"6. When the last two Centauri ships attacking began to withdraw from this battle, instead of allowing them to do so, you ordered your fleet to destroy these two Centauri ships, thus siding with those being attacked by the Centauri forces.

"7. You then used your rank to order all Centauri ships back to Centauri space, and then informed the Alliance White Stars that you were doing so. Thus giving those poised against us leave to attack and destroy any Centauri military vessel found outside of Centauri space."

Londo paused and then said, "Do you wish to add anything to the findings I have just given? Do you wish to clarify and defend your actions?"

Jarno Mari could have argued against what had been said. But, in the final analysis, everything said was true. He had done all of these things. He had explained himself in his report, his actions and his reasons, and he had accepted that he would pay the price for doing as he did.

"No, Your Majesty. I am ready to accept the consequences of my actions." In the end, he would retain his pride. He would not debase himself before his family or the Royal Court.

The Emperor gave him a long look. And then suddenly, the Emperor gave a curt motion with his hand toward the Fleet Admiral, Admiral Cela.

Mari stood at attention as the Admiral stepped forward. Another lower ranked officer moved forward with him. Cela looked into his face and then nodded to the other officer. A box was presented and opened – Mari couldn't look as he was at attention.

But Mari was stunned when he saw the Fleet Admiral raise a ribbon and carefully reached around him to clasp it around his neck (unlike Humans, Centauri didn't attempt to make ribbons which might muss their elaborate hairdos).

The Fleet Admiral nodded and stepped so that he was now beside his subordinate. Mari saw now that the Emperor was giving him a large smile.

"It is Our decision, approved by the Royal Court, that you be awarded the Centauri Royal Medal for Honor. You followed the orders as given to you by your superiors. And when you saw that others were acting against our people's best interest, you acted to prevent it.

"By your actions, you demonstrated to the Galaxy that the Centauri were not the aggressors in this conflict. You demonstrated that the Centauri would defend our allies, even when it seemed that they wished to see us destroyed. You ensured that the Centauri were not humbled before the other governments which make up the Interstellar Alliance. The Centauri will not be forced to pay for the pain of others using us to destabilize the Alliance. We, like they, were innocent, and now the Galaxy knows this.

"Your actions, despite any provocation to act otherwise, demonstrated the highest Honor, and so you have ensured that the Honor of the Centauri Republic was maintained to all who would attack us or attempt to gain at our expense. The Royal Court, the Centauri people, and your Emperor appreciate and acknowledge that you have acted in the best interests of our people."

Admiral Jarno Mari, having expected punishment, and even possible execution, attempted to retain his calm in the face of this unexpected result. He gave a deep bow to the Emperor. Londo looked at the man. "Well, it is a good thing that you were _right_. Being right is a balm for threats against you for your actions. If you had done as you did and had been wrong … well, this would have been a much less pleasant experience. Yes?"

Mari nervously answered, "It is as you say, Your Majesty."

Londo nodded. "It is good that you understand this. Now. Go stand with your family. _We_ have other announcements to make."

Mari moved to his wife and children, who hugged him and smile with pride.

Londo moved his attention to from watching his Admiral back to those watching. "Yes. By seeming chance but truly because of certain exceptional people, we have maintained our sovereign rights and our pride before the galaxy. But this does not mean we were not harmed. There is much to do. Lord Jano." The normally smiling man stepped forward and bowed before the Emperor. "Our old friend, I ask that you accept the position of Prime Minister. We have much to do and your attention to detail will be needed."

Jano, who had returned from Babylon 5, bowed before his old friend. "As you wish, Your Majesty. It will be an honor to lead the Royal Court in your name."

"You will begin coordinating with the Royal Court, the Centaurum, and the Populum to begin the work necessary to ensure we can move forward in strength before the rest of the galaxy. I expect to see the plans for the Shipyard reconstruction as soon as they can be formalized."

Jano bowed his head. "As you command, Majesty."

Londo nodded and dismissed Jano back to the other Ministers. "Lord Admiral Cela." The Fleet Admiral stood at attention. "I expect to see your plan to protect Homeworld and Centauri space as soon as it can be provided. The protections of our people and our interests is of the highest priority. We will not falter, despite our losses."

"As you command, Majesty."

"Good." Londo stood, and all present stood straighter. "We begin. Go forth and show our people that we remain strong and resolved. You are all dismissed."

Londo then exited the throne room, going back to his quarters. Even as he did so, he sighed as he considered what needed to be done. It would be a long road to recovery.

* * *

The Battlestar Galactica hung over the planet that had been described by his XO and the other Final Five Cylons. As reported, it was a planet full of algae. And while he had sent down a survey team, led by his XO, to the temple, he was leery of the reports being given to him by his OOW. "Well, Captain, how much time do we think we have?"

Gaeta looked at his readings and then back to the Admiral. "I don't know, Admiral. But the sun is highly unstable. Many of the readings we're getting are quite similar to readings of suns that have gone Nova in the past. We'll need to keep an eye on it."

"How long?" he asked.

"For what, Sir?"

"How long would we have if it destabilized? How long to get our people back and to retreat?"

Gaeta considered it. "The team aboard the Gunstar allows us to get readings more quickly as they are much nearer the sun itself. It would buy us two hours – probably. All we have to go on is records of previous Novas from history – and we haven't seen one in a long while. But two hours is likely the best guess."

"Minimum warning?" he asked.

Gaeta considered it. "An hour. If certain things begin happening, the Gunstar will jump back. Immediate evacuation should be ordered if that happens."

"And how long would that take?"

"Fifteen minutes to load up and get back here. More if we try to bring anything with us."

"Well, let's hope we have time. Those readings do not fill me with confidence."

"Understood, Sir. We'll keep a sharp eye on them."

* * *

Captain Elizabeth Lochley hid her grin as she prepared to welcome back one of Babylon 5's more well known residents. "Ambassador G'Kar. Welcome back! I hope that your visit to Centauri Prime wasn't too unpleasant."

"A bit nervous," G'Kar answered easily. "But in the end, it was good to see the place taken over by Mollari. He now has Royal Guards to watch him and they are utterly loyal, so it was time to come back. How have things been since I left?" he asked.

"Oh," she answered casually, "it's been fairly quiet. The interesting things were mostly happening where you were. But a lot has gone back to normal, or a close approximation."

"Good, good," G'Kar said with relief. "I look forward to a bit of peace and quiet. We can get back to the normal business of the Alliance."

"Yes. Well, there have been a _few_ changes," Lochley volunteered.

"Oh?" G'kar asked.

"Well, the Narn and Drazi fleet was remarkably successful in their eyes. Many Narns, in fact, credit your presence for their lack of losses. Many want to come and express their appreciation. A few have already arrived."

"How many?" he asked. "It's not as though there has been much time to get here."

"Oh," she said. "A few."

Just then, Lochley and G'Kar passed out from the passageway from the diplomatic docking area to the waiting area. G'Kar stopped in shock. Several Narns saw him and signalled the others. His name began being chanted in joy.

"What is this?" he cried out.

"Just a few of your people who want to get to know you better. Good luck with that." Lochley hurried off then.

"Captain!" G'Kar cried out futilely. She ignored him. He thought that she couldn't hear him, so he raised his hands to try to motion the crowd to be quieter. As soon as he started raising his hand, all the Narns hushed immediately, waiting reverently for words of wisdom.

G'Kar looked out in shock. "By G'Quan," he muttered under his breath in despair.


	21. Living Less Urgently

Adama was standing in Command and Control when the Gunstar Vigilant jumped back from its stellar orbit. Gaeta immediately contacted them. "Admiral. Vigilant reports that the local star has become unstable – nova is imminent."

Adama looked at him. "Do our readings confirm?"

Gaeta checked his instruments. "Our readings confirm an increase in gamma radiation. This planet is 7 light-minutes from the stellar horizon. We will be able to confirm their readings in 1 minute 45 seconds."

Adama nodded. "Let's not wait for the system to blow. Alert ground units: Nova imminent; emergency retreat to Galactica." He paused. "Best guess Mr. Gaeta: How long before we have to go?"

Gaeta considered what had been reported and his knowledge of stellar physics. "We'll need to jump out within one and a half hours. We'll have an absolute minimum of an hour – maximum is four hours, based on the report by Vigilant. However, it would be safest to jump soonest. We can't guarantee that exotic particles created by a nova won't interfere with our drive. Extremely low chance, but it has to be mentioned."

"Understood, Mr. Gaeta. Get me confirmation soonest, but let's operate on the report being accurate. Get me an estimated time for the ground units to return."

Within 45 minutes, the raptors and vipers on patrol had come back to Galactica. Under orders from Adama, everything that could be brought back from the surface was brought up – the Temple of the Five was a cultural treasure and Adama knew that the various temples and the faculty of the New Kobol University (currently under construction) would want to study what had been found.

Colonel Tigh and Admiral Adama spoke once they were far enough away to safely take readings. "Well, there goes Tory's plan to collect algae for Mars," Adama said with amusement.

Tigh nodded. "Yeah. At least from there. We did collect some – might be able to use it as a starter culture for another planet. It would be something which could speed up the creation of a useable atmosphere there, and in any other place where you want to create an oxygen-rich atmosphere. But that's the kind of thing that takes centuries or millennia."

Adama looked at his exec. Ever since his memories had been returned, his scientific knowledge had increased exponentially. While he was still the same man, he was obviously more intelligent and knowledgeable as well. "Something for the scientists to think about. Me? I'm just an old warhorse."

Tigh shrugged. "I used to be a geneticist. But that any specialty requires quite a bit of study about general scientific knowledge. I actually prefer military service. Less headaches."

Adama chuckled. "Well, since we're out here let's get the readings on the nova, as much as we can. I'm sure someone, somewhere can use the information. I'm going to my office. Let me know if any Cylons show up."

"Yes, sir," Tigh replied.

* * *

Commander Richard Hatch, Commander of the Battlestar Nova, listened to his exec as the reports came in. "The library team has reported in. While many volumes were damaged or destroyed, sections deeper in the building are undisturbed. The freighter Cybele is currently being filled. Extra time is required because there is radiation and the teams have to keep themselves protected. When the holds are filled, they'll be sealed and the holds are shielded."

"Okay. Reports from the Museum teams?"

"Gemenon Traveler is being filled with cultural items as they are found. Minister of Culture representative had a list compiled of locations. Several are burned out from the initial bombings or because of subsequent fires, but there are many being collected. Luckily, the Cylons didn't target them being more interested in Human casualties." The last was said with some bitter irony. "No surprises."

Hatch sighed. "Okay. Currency salvage."

"Teams are visiting various bank branches. Several were already broken into." The XO grimaced. "In the aftermath, as people were scrambling, it looks like there were idiots who were more concerned about money than food." He shook his head. "Why are civilians so stupid?"

Hatch was almost amused. "Let's speak of our people with a bit more respect. Respect the likely dead." He paused and then continued. "Even if they were idiots."

The major stifled his chuckle. Time had dulled the grief and people were putting the horror behind. A conversation about the stupidity of some civilians was standard fare on a Battlestar. While it was morbid, it showed that people were recovering. "Anyway, there were several branches where the vaults were intact. A few tens of thousands of cubits here, a hundred thousand there: The Gemini is loaded by raptors as they find them. The Finance Ministry woman is keeping count. With the Caprica Central recovery, they've gotten a little over eight million so far." The main vault at Caprica Central had been opened first. While it didn't contain as much as the Scorio vaults, it had a significant amount of money on hand.

"And the marine detail guarding it?"

"All is quiet. While we have some civilians, everyone's playing by the rules."

"Good. Estimated time before we can move on to the next colony?"

"We'll have to verify with the teams, but I expect three days."

"Excellent. Any reports from the CAP?"

"Minbari nials and vipers are patrolling. No Cylon activity detected. With no human survivors remaining and no military resources undestroyed, they apparently decided there was no reason to watch and wait. We have been jamming all standard colonial and Cylon frequencies. We're using Minbari communication systems for our op. But we haven't detected any attempts at transmission or alarms. As per our mission orders, all surviving satellites of any type are destroyed as soon as they are found by the nails in case the Cylons have repurposed them or are using them to piggyback any signals. But there have been no real surprises. "

"Anything from Katana or Sprit?"

"They're maintaining positions. They also report no transmissions or activity." The Gunstars assigned to Nova were ensuring that the areas blocked from Nova by the planet were also monitored.

"And the Alert Raptors."

"Also report all quiet." There were several raptors that had jumped out further away to provide early warning for anything appearing further out.

"Have everyone keep an eye out for any raiders showing up. All we need is for one bogey to find us and carry word back. I'd rather avoid conflicts if we can."

"Understood, Commander."

"Carry on." Hatch retreated to his office to work on paperwork.

* * *

He was fast asleep when the door chimed. It happened again very shortly. Tiredly he called out, "I'm coming, I'm coming." Cursing quietly as he stubbed his toe, he finally got to his main room. "Open."

The doorway opened up and suddenly Michael Garibaldi was entirely occupied with a woman in his arms. He pulled back and said, "Lise." He was delighted to see her, but this was entirely unexpected.

"Hello, Michael," she said with a smile. "I came here to find out where my boyfriend is."

"Huh?" he asked curiously. He and Lise had had some time before he had come back, but it hadn't been labeled so formally. Being barely awake, he wasn't as lucid as he would normally be.

Lise gave him an annoyed look. "I was told that you would be back on Mars as soon as you trained this replacement. We had an understanding. But somehow, here it is months later, and you're still here."

Michael nodded, a slightly hangdog look. "I'm sorry. This whole situation with the Alliance has kind of kept us occupied." Noticing that she wasn't impressed he continued, "But that's all been sorted. If you give me a week I can probably convince the President that everything is established enough for me to go."

Lise looked at him, gauging how honest he was being. Finally, she nodded. "Good. I really could use your help. There's something going on with the company and the Board of Directors seem entirely too cagey with me."

"What do you mean?" he asked, his concern obvious.

She stepped back and shook her head, pacing a bit. "All I keep getting are very rosey reports but they're not telling me everything. I inherited it outright. I own a majority of shares. It's _my_ company. But they treat it like their own fiefdom."

Michael decided that he now had other priorities. "Okay. It's still a couple of hours before things get going. I'll put a call in to Lyta and Sheridan for a meeting."

Lise gave him a smirk – Michael noted the glint in her eye. "Two hours. I wonder what we could do with two hours."

Michael grinned. "I'm sure we could think of something."

* * *

Later that day, Sheridan was talking to Delenn about Michael's impending departure. "Now that the Intelligence structure is basically set up and the Alliance shipping situation is sorted out, we really don't need him to stick around anymore."

Delenn looked at her husband. "Yes. I agree. And soon we will be moving to Minbar – it would be a good time for change."

Sheridan smiled and said, "Good. I will tell im the good news."

She looked at her husband and said, "And now that the Drak situation has been resolved for the moment, I believe it is time for us to deal with another matter." Her husband looked at her curiously. She paused and said, "You know that I have been meeting with Stephen."

"Yes," he said. "You said there were some medical matters and you would tell me when it was appropriate."

She smiled and said, "Yes. Well, I do believe it would be appropriate now."

Seeing how nervous she was, he got a little worried. "It isn't anything serious is it?"

She gave a small smile. "Well, some would say that it is serious. But it is not something that which would require your worry."

Still concerned Sheridan replied, "I don't know. You're my wife. This sounds important. Trips to Medlab, a nutrition plan – and now you tell me it could be serious. It's starting to sound like I _should_ worry."

Delenn cocked her head. "If you wish. Perhaps you should sit down."

John looked at his wife and said, "Tell me."

"Very well," she sighed. Girding herself she explained, "I have found that I am suffering from a condition that will require specific care and treatment." Seeing his worry increase she attempted to assure him. "I am told that it is temporary. But it _will_ be resolved. This particular condition does have a limit."

"What kind of limit?" he asked.

"Well, that is where Stephen is uncertain. For Minbari, the condition usually lasts for 7 months." She paused and then continued. "In Humans, I am told that it is normally 9 months. Being that I am unique and am two months into it so far, it could take as little as 5 months but certainly less than a year."

Sheridan's eyes widened. Almost unable to talk, John finally forced out, "Are you telling me … that you're …."

Delenn smiled at her normally collected and certain husband. "Yes. You are going to be a father." Her eyes widened as her husband suddenly began swooning, almost falling down. "John!" she called out in alarm.

* * *

Lise Hampton-Edgars had no immediate need to return to Mars.

While she had been stymied by the Board of Directors in attempting to assert control, it could not be argued that they did ensure the company did operate smoothly. As such, she had opportunity to explore the station which had originally drawn her former and current lover light-years away.

She found that the station was far more intricate and involved than she had expected. It had its own culture, a mixture of Human and Alien, structured due to its diplomatic function and role as a galactic way-station.

While Michael had refused to allow her to explore non-secure areas without escort (a decision she understood once she had seen down-below) she had otherwise been able to keep herself occupied as Michael spent the time necessary to ensure matters would continue without his assistance.

Being rich, she could afford to spend what she liked while she was there. Visiting the station could be expensive if one wanted the best. She was no longer suited to living poor – she had been spoiled by her deceased husband. As such, she felt no need to frequent the rougher parts of the station once she had seen it.

This meant that she spent a bit of time in her suite, in the casino (she kept to a gambling limit), and visiting shops and kiosks in the Zoccolo.

It was, however, eye opening: She had little experience with Aliens. And while she had lived on Mars and was used to "living in a controlled environment" she realized that she had been remarkably sheltered in her life.

As such, she took time to meet different people of different races, engaging in small talk and learning what she could.

Being who she was (Michael Garibaldi's significant other) she had been given access far beyond the average visitor. This allowed her to get in touch with one person that she had decided she wanted to meet.

After ensuring that she had refreshments delivered and set up, she waited for her visitor. At the expected time, the door chime sound. "Open," she called.

The door opened and an attractive woman stood without. "Ambassador Foster. Please come in."

Her visitor walked in. She stepped forward, hand extended. "My name is Lise Hampton-Edgars. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ambassador Foster shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well. When Mr. Garibaldi passed on your invitation, he was unclear on why you wanted to meet."

Lise motioned toward the table, several refreshments nearby. "Well, I'm here for some time while Michael executes his exit strategy from Alliance employ. I heard about your people and I wished to learn about you." As Tory sat Lise asked, "Would you like a hot or cold drink? I also have miniature sandwiches – a traditional item for Tea back on Earth."

Tory shrugged. "Certainly. I'll take coffee, sweetened lightly."

Lise served her guest and herself and then sat down. "First of all, this is personal and business. I guess I wanted to get some information on your people, their history and so forth."

She listened to what she guessed was a practiced explanation. At one point she said, "I would guess that you've had practice with that."

Ambassador Foster smiled. "Yes. Being from a Human civilization far removed from Earth culture, I have had many people who wanted to learn more of us. It's given me opportunity to perfect the stories and explanations."

"Well, I think it's very interesting. How are your people doing now?" she asked.

Tory looked surprised. "Actually, that's a question to few actually ask. They usually want the story and a talk about our future plans." She paused and answered. "Actually, we're recovering nicely – as much as we can. Settling a new planet after running for our lives, we've lost much. However, steps are being taken to recover our cultural heritage. We're building the infrastructure needed. We've got a lot of willing hands and we've entered into relationships with the Minbari and the Narn, as well as the Alliance as a whole. It will be a long road, but we've made a good start."

Lise nodded. "Would it offend you if I ask why your people seem to be holding back from getting close with Earth?"

Tory considered that. "We have made some agreements with them. In fact I'm arranging for our people to be able to make religious pilgrimages to Earth to see the temples and ruins of Greek culture. We also have entered into an agreement with Earth Alliance to help install gravity systems on military ships." She paused. "But we have kept a certain distance. We do not want our culture to be subsumed by the larger culture of Earth."

Lise answered, "I can see that. You are your own people. I see how important it would be to stand on your own." She paused. "How are your people doing as far as medicines, food, and other things?"

"We've begun creating widespread farms. We have plans to build food processing facilities, similar to what we used to have in the Colonies. Food storage is still primitive at this point but we are experienced in delivery. I would say that our food delivery systems are one area which needs little expansion – our time spent in transit allowed us to perfect such things. We had to buy and use a lot of seeds, but we started with growing microgreens to ensure we had fresh vegetables quickly. Our farms have begun producing crops sufficient to feed our own people. We still need to build up herds of food animals, but that will take years. We've bought breeding stock and have made a start. But we're going to be eating a lot of poultry until we've built up populations of other animals. We're also building fish farms."

Lise listened raptly. "That sounds quite involved. How about medicines?"

Ambassador Foster shrugged. "We're Human. Right now we're buying what we need from Earth. A number of companies have attempted to create exclusive contracts but we've avoided that by buying via the Alliance. We don't want to become beholden to Earth for such things. But it has been a struggle to keep Earth corporate influence at bay. It's certainly helpful that we're so far away."

Lise sat back. "But you will need to enter into agreements to build it up quickly enough." She paused. "How are your people doing as far as scientists and experts in pharmaceuticals? I assume you have your own formulations for medicines, which may be better or worse than what Earth has available. I'm certain that you might have medicines that Earth has no knowledge of and Earth probably has medicines that your people don't have."

Tory considered that. "That's not something that has come up yet."

Lise nodded. "Well, when my husband died, I inherited Edgar Industries, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the Earth Alliance. While I certainly want to ensure my company makes a profit, I am more concerned with doing good work. I grew up with much less than most people in my position. It's not about money for me. I'd like to enter into talks to work with your people to rebuild your own infrastructure. I'm certain that I can ensure your people obtain formulas in exchange for formulas that you may have. What would you say to that?"

Tory sat back as she considered that. Finally she asked, "Why? Why should New Kobol work with you rather than other companies?"

Lise sighed. "After my husband died, I found out that Edgar Industries has a less than clean record. Too many operations were ethically questionable, even if not strictly illegal. There were probably some of those as well. I'm dragging Michael back to Mars to help me clean up the company. But that means that I will deliberately be cutting off operations that might be profitable but which I find disagreeable.

"While I own the majority of shares, I will have to ensure that the company doesn't lose value. So I'd like to replace any ethically questionable operations with operations which are needed and desired, which are legal, moral _and_ ethical. I want to remake my company. And working with your people could allow me to do that."

Tory gave her a long look, gauging her honesty. In the end she said, "I have to say that this is one of the most honest conversations I've had with anyone from an Earth corporation. I think that I'd like to talk to my government and then I'd like to have another conversation. How does that sound?"

Lise smiled, her relief hidden but not well. "That sounds wonderful to me."


	22. The Cylon Rebels; Mars

The Battlestar Galactica was checking star systems beyond the pulsar which they had used as a navigation point. Once the Temple of Five had been destroyed, the only reason for their presence was to distract any Cylons from trying to find search for them outside of this barren section of the galaxy.

They were in the third system when they finally made contact.

Just as they were traveling through the system, alarms began sounding. "Report!" Adama ordered.

Gaeta sounded out. "Sir! Scanners report the appearance of two Cylon Basestars two light-minutes from our location."

"All stop. Set Condition One throughout the battlegroup."

"Condition One, aye!" In addition to the crewmembers on the Galactica preparing themselves, the two gunstars, Vigilant and Titan, also prepared themselves for a possible confrontation.

After readiness was reported Adama asked, "What's happening?"

Gaeta checked his instruments. "The two basestars have spotted us. They began moving in our direction as soon as we saw them. They're still too far to launch fighters."

Adama considered that. "Can you calculate a jump point nearer to them but far enough away to give us time to recharge our jump drives?"

Gaeta paused as he considered that. "Yes, Sir. If we jump to a position ten million kliks from their position, we will have at least two minutes before they would be close enough to attack. That's sufficient for a quick recharge. It still would apply stress to jump but it wouldn't be dangerous."

"Calculate the jump, inform the battlegroup, and tell me when you're ready."

Gaeta had become much more experienced in doing the work needed. Within only a minute he said, "Jump point calculated and transmitted to Vigilant and Titan."

"Very good. Jump."

A very few seconds later, the three ships were far closer to the advancing basestars. The basestars had noted their jump – they slowed down to a less aggressive speed.

"Ensure that the battlegroup has fallback coordinates locked in. I want to be able to cut and run if this goes south."

"Checking readiness, aye."

Within a short time, the two basestars came into easier visual range. Adama noted something. "Zoom in on those basestars." The image on the screen changed. Now that they were closer, details could be seen.

And the details showed that the two basestars were not in optimum condition. Though they seemed operational, they showed damage and scoring, though the self-repairing systems on a basestar seemed to be working. "Tell me if I'm wrong but it looks like they've been in a firefight."

Tigh, who had gotten to the bridge (he had been off-watch), peered at the images. "Yeah. They've been in a fight."

"Not with our ships," Adama said as he looked at his friend and exec.

"No," Tigh gave a chuckling, snorting answer. "Outside of that other mission, we've got nothing in this sector."

"Unless there are other ships we don't know about."

Tigh shrugged. "All we can do is ask."

Adama nodded. "Mr. Gaeta. How long until we are in optimum communication range?"

"Thirty seconds, sir."

However, that changed when the basestars slowed down – they stopped just inside communication range. "Open a channel."

Gaeta pushed the buttons and then nodded. "This is Battlestar Galactica to the Cylon basestars facing us. Please respond."

After a few seconds, a response came through. "This is Basestar 59."

Adama asked quietly. "Which one?"

Gaeta answeres just as quietly. "The one on the left."

"Basestar 5-9. What are your intentions?"

"This ship and Basestar 72 are recovering from a battle with other Cylon elements."

Adama considered that. "Are you loyal to the Cylon known as Cavil – the Model One who incited the collective to attack the Twelve Colonies?"

There was a pause after that. Gaeta said quietly, "There is intense communication between the two basestars." Adama nodded in acknowledgement.

Finally an answer came through, "No. Though we are surprised that you are aware of that fact. Can you explain?"

Adama considered that. "Speaking over the wireless would be inefficient for a conversation. I will agree to parley. We will not attack your ships as long as you do not attack ours. Would you be willing to send a representative to our ship to talk?"

"Stand by."

Gaeta once again reported intense communications. Finally the comm panel sounded. "Galactica, this is Basestar 59."

"Basestar 5-9, go."

"We will send one heavy raider to land on Galactica. We wish to have one of your officers land on our basestar on a viper at the same time to ensure that we each have a reason not to attack. Your officer can stay within their viper."

"Why a viper and not a raptor?" he asked.

"Because vipers do not have jump engines. This will ensure that this is not a ploy. The Heavy Raider we send will also be without a jump drive – we will allow you to scan the ship to verify. We will send our captain, a Model 6, with an original Centurion, both unarmed."

"Agreed. We will both launch our representatives in ten minutes."

"10 Minutes. Agreed."

"Acknowledged. Galactica, Out."

There was some hesitation when the CAG asked for a volunteer, but one finally did.

* * *

And ten minutes later, the two enemies each launched their respective representatives.

"Scans confirm the raider is unarmed."

"Good. Signal the heavy raider to land on the starboard flight pod. As soon as it enters the pod, the viper can land on the basestar."

"Yes, Sir."

The exchange went fairly smoothly. Soon, the heavy raider was unloading its passengers. The Cylon Six and the golden centurion model, a model not seen in 40 years, exited.

As ordered, the marines were non-threatening toward the two, though they were armed. The two were met by one of the pilots. They were led to the pilot briefing room. Adama stood there waiting. "Hello. I assume you know who I am?"

"Yes. You are Admiral William Adama. I am a Model Six, known as Caprica Six. I am one of the leaders of the Rebel Cylons."

Adama nodded. He looked at the gold centurion. "And you are?"

Adama internally smirked as the Six showed some surprise at his question. The Centurion model, of course, had no ability to have a facial expression. However, it did have a voice synthesizer. "I am Guardian Cylon 2-4. I command the Centurions, the original models, as well as the newer models freed from the limiting device originally installed on the orders of Model One John Cavil."

"Understood. We've set up in here to allow a larger audience. Please enter."

The two Cylons did so. With surprise, they found seven people waiting.

Adama, who had entered right after, looked at the two. The Model Six had stopped in shock seeing one of them. "What is he?"

"I will introduce everyone. Once introductions are made, you can have a seat there – or stand if more convenient," he addressed that comment to the Centurion.

The Centurion, however, was originally designed to sit within Colonial vipers if necessary. Unlike newer models which stayed standing, it could sit down. The two Cylons stood at the table that Adama had indicated. "Okay." He hit a button on the desk. "Mr. Gaeta. Is the channel to the basestars and the gunstars open?"

Natalie asked, "What is this?" Her tone was confused.

Adama looked at her. "Just because it is easier to explain directly if you are here, I see no reason for your people not to hear what we are saying. We've got nothing to hide save where we are currently based. The people here will verify what that I am speaking the truth."

Natalie gave him a long look and then answered, "Acceptable."

"Would you like to verify with your ships that they are receiving?" he asked. "Just push the button on the table to hear the response."

She saw the button indicated. "This is Caprica Six to basestar 59. Are you receiving?" She hit the button.

A speaker sounded, "This is Boomer. We're receiving."

Adama was slightly startled. Caprica noticed and said, "The sixes and the eights are mostly all loyal to the rebels. The ones and the fives are mostly loyal to Cavil. The Centurions that have been freed are with us, as are the hybrids that have been freed from the limiting program. The raiders are also varied. The rest of the humanoid models are varied." She paused. "Boomer regrets the act of shooting you, though she was acting on orders and was loyal once awoken from her sleeper status at that time."

"I see." He considered that. "Well, we were at war at the time. I'll accept that."

Caprica said, "Technically, we're still at war. Though your fleet has disappeared most effectively."

"We'll be explaining."

Caprica considered that. "Very well. Introductions, please."

Adama nodded. "First. This is Doctor Cottle. He is here to discuss the plague that has hit your people." Cottle nodded and sat down. "Second, this is Captain Kyra Thrace, call sign 'Starbuck.' She's here to represent the average Colonial military members." Starbuck smirked and sat down. "These two are Misters Standish and Sampson. They were members of the Eastern and Western alliances of Terra – the breakaway portions of the Kobol Exodus from four thousand years ago. I should mention that they are descended from Humanform Cylons – the first iteration which left Kobol to find Earth." The two men nodded and sat down. "This is Colonal Saul Tigh and this is Master Chief Galen Tyrol. While they are members of my crew – my Executive Officer and my Deck Chief respectively – they are here because they are two of the five Final Five Cylons, the arrivals from the Cylon Earth which convinced the Cylon Collective to end hostilities forty years ago in exchange for Resurrection technology." The two nodded and sat down. "And this is Taleer. He is a member of the warrior caste of the Minbari people. He is on Galactica as an observer, representing both his caste and his people as a whole." The Minbari gave one of the typical salutes of his people and then sat down.

He turned to the two Cylons. "Any questions before we begin?"

Caprica Six stared in shock at Adama. The introduction was beyond anything she had been expecting when she had been invited over. Finally she said, "How?"

Adama sighed. "That is part of what we will be discussing. We will provide the records which verify this as much as possible."

* * *

Needless to say, the Cylon representatives and the Cylons on the two basestars were completely flummoxed by the information providing. Adama included all of the information on a data drive matching Colonial technology as it was before they had contacted Babylon 5 – they felt no need to give the Cylons anything more than what was necessary. They felt no need to provide technology beyond what the Cylons already had.

They did, however, provide a demonstration. With the Cylons' permission, Tareel launched the single Minbari Nial that was on the Galactica and he allowed the Cylons to attempt to find him with the scanners. Minbari stealth systems were beyond them. Tareel then destroyed a small asteroid that was near the ships.

The Cylons were very impressed and a bit fearful of the damage such a small ship could create.

The Cylons had some reports but the information that the Cylons had run into had been suppressed by Cavil because he didn't want to lose control of the Cylon Collective.

The Heavy Raider left the Galactica shortly thereafter, a stock of plague vaccine and medicine on board. Of the seven Model Eights on the Galactica who had been rescued, two had left with the raider (after Caprica and the Guardian had been convinced she was fully cured).

Adama knew that they had only been accepted because the Cylons wanted to question them and obtain verification. The seven had been segregated and had not been given any information that the Kobol descendents didn't want the Cylons to know.

The record of Lyta's report on the origin of Humanity had been edited. That the Earth told of in scrolls was a Cylon Earth was included. Information about the original Earth was edited so that only the fact one existed was included – not that it had been found.

Information on Aliens: Yes, included. Location of Alien races: Not included. Information about energy weapons existing: Yes. Information on Hyperspace: No. The consolidation of the survivors of the Twelve Tribes and of Terra had been explained. The Cylons were not told where the New Kobol homeworld could be found or how they could reach it.

The Cylons were given a location where they could make contact. Under no circumstances were the Cylons going to be allowed to find the hyperspace jump gate system. By luck, there were only a very few places that could easily be found into the network – if you knew exactly where to look.

If the Cylons stumbled into the area, they would hit Vorlon space and the defenses there would ensure that they had no success.

The Sector 80 (sector 87 precisely) access was not truly easy to find – the Cylons had found the asteroid belt where Galactica had run into the White Stars but the nearest jump gate was effectively hidden from the belt area. There were various reasons why the direction would be unappealing. Galactica would have missed them entirely without the completely random order to destroy local rocks that Sheridan had given to Marcus.

The Cylons had been told that the Final Five were living with them and were aware of their origins. Tigh and Tyrol confirmed that. They also confirmed that one of the Final Five was the New Kobol representative to all Alien governments. Kara Thrace, well-known Cylon-hater, also confirmed that. In fact, she was quite smug about it.

All-in-all, the Galactica crew thought they had ensured mass confusion among the Cylon ranks.

* * *

President Richard Grazier was on the line with the New Kobol representative on Babylon 5. "So, why is this proposal so much different than the others? From what you've reported, all she talked about is what she would get out it."

"That's just it. What we get out of it is obvious – we can restart our pharmaceutical industry much more quickly than otherwise would be possible. The truth is that it would be enormously cheaper to make them on New Kobol than buying from Earth through the Alliance. But instead of going on and on about how great it would be for us, she was up front about what it would mean for her. The fact that they are headquartered on an independent Mars means that we can avoid Earth regulations. In fact, according to Mr. Garibaldi who I talked to about it, we could theoretically help define Mars regulations. In fact, we might want to go farther."

Graizer was curious. "What do you mean?"

"Mars, while independent, is currently beholden to Earth for everything. Financial, security, education – everything. If they are going to be independent, they will need to be able to stand on their own. What if we could provide them with their own ships. Nothing like a battletar fleet – they are in the same system as Earth and shouldn't piss them off too much. But the ships we got when the Terra refugees arrived are really not as good as our battlestars and gunstars. They, however, would be something that we could give over to Mars after we removed the jump drives. They could make up a Mars Defensive Fleet. They could even make an agreement with Earth to allow them to provide crew, thus allowing them experience on ships that have gravity. Mars would own them and command them but they don't have to alienate Earth Alliance completely."

"But this isn't just about security," Grazier guessed.

"No. We have banks and we have an educational system completely separate from Earth. We could enter into agreements with them and allow us make them able to be truly independent of the need to depend on Earth Alliance infrastructure."

Grazier considered that. "That would allow us access to the Sol system without requiring us to submit to Earth ourselves. This is sounding more and more attractive."

"That's what I was thinking," Tory said.

Grazier nodded. "Let me talk to my cabinet and a few Senators. But I will allow you to request Mars send a representative to meet with you on Babylon 5. I do think that we can at least ensure we can come up with a formal declaration of recognition between us if nothing else. And we would be willing to agree to installation of Embassies on each world regardless."

"That would be a good start. Thank you, Mr. President."


	23. Future Plans

Bill Adama felt immediate reduction of stress as his Galactica entered the hyperspace jumpgate on the outer edge of Vorlon space. It further reduced when Gaeta sounded off. "Vigilant and Titan have completed their transition and the jump gate has closed."

"Good. Estimated time to New Kobol?"

"29 hours 15 minutes."

"Set Condition Three throughout the Battlegroup. Hyperspace Protocol."

"Hyperspace protocol, Aye."

"Mr. Gaeta, you have the conn." He immediately exited CNC to go back to his office. The paperwork for their mission now had to be completed.

The New Kobol military had devised protocols for hyperspace travel. Knowing that pilots could suffer a kind of fugue if they spent too long watching the mottled look that hyperspace presented, their ships went into more of an inward concentration once they were inside.

However, they also needed their pilots to be able to operate well in it. And so they had carefully listened to how the Minbari warrior caste trained their people and then adapted that for their own operations.

As such, the CAG would use the time traveling to complete several CAPs around the ships. No pilot was allowed to spend more than two hours out of twenty-four-and a half (a New Kobol day) flying hyperspace save for necessity. Pilots were required to practice the ability to block it out at need as well as to modulate their focus within the unchanging view.

The crew piloting the battlestars and gunstars were being trained to ignore the screens showing the morass outside of minimum required effort to look out and to fly by instruments only. It wasn't hard as battlestars and gunstars had their control centers buried deep within the ship already.

Those who flew in space had a tendency look regardless of what was happening. Their protocols minimized the chance of their people becoming hypnotized or suffering Hyperspace Travel Syndrome.

All other crew did the ship drills and readiness exercises normal for peacetime operations. Despite theoretically being at peace, the New Kobol military was quite aware that they had to be prepared for pirates as well as other possible threats.

No fleet under Admiral Bill Adama would ever be caught in the complacency that had allowed the almost complete loss of the Twelve Tribes. Under his orders, all battlestars and gunstars were to practice the ability to operate their ships manually. He was still opposed to networked systems despite their new firewalls and more advanced technology from the Minbari and Earth Alliance.

Bill Adama was constitutionally incapable of relying on computers alone.

* * *

Dr. Stephen Franklin's attention was caught by the disturbance. "… don't care what your computer says. This is my identification as provided by my government. Earth Alliance has chosen to drag their heels in entering our information in order to force us to use their identification. Well, it's not my problem!"

As the woman continued on haranguing Zack Allen, Stephen was trying to hold in his amusement. Finally, though he intervened and vouched for her. His status as a senior officer on Babylon 5 had some uses, after all.

His former contact with the Mars Resistance was just as fiery and beautiful as she had been when he had been there.

"You know, if you had called ahead and told me you were coming, I could have helped out or looked for you on an incoming manifest. Of course, you never did tell me your name," he said with a friendly smile.

"Sorry," she said. Yes, that sultry tone she used when talking to him was still there. "You know how it was. That was a different time. Since we got our independence, we've had to spend all of our time and effort getting things organized, learning how to manage ourselves."

He watched as she tried to explain herself. She really had no need to feel guilty – it had been a different time. But he still found her incredibly attractive. And so he dismissed her excuses as irrelevant. "So, why have you come to Babylon 5?"

"I need to speak to Michael Garibaldi. Can you help me out?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I don't see any reason why I can't. He's been working on putting his affairs in order here, but I think he's available."

It took a little work to track the man down, but it wasn't that difficult.

When she finally ran into him in his quarters Lise Hampton-Edgars was with him which was a good thing as far as she was concerned. "In a very short time, someone's going to try to kill you."

That definitely stunned her audience.

Very soon, she was giving a pretty complete briefing to Michael Garibaldi, Lise Hampton-Edgars, Zack Allen of Babylon 5 Security, Captain Elizabeth Lochley of Babylon5, Lyta Alexander of Alliance Intelligence, and President John Sheridan of the Interstellar Alliance.

She was actually a bit intimidated with how seriously they were taking the threat.

Still, she had a lot of credibility with these people. Her past actions when Babylon 5 had allied itself with the Mars Resistance made them all very friendly with her (except Captain Lochley – she wasn't that impressed).

Considering that the threat seemed to have to do with his relationship with Lise Hampton-Edgars, she too had her security increased.

Something strange happened at the end of the meeting. She was taken aside by Lyta Alexander. "I have a question for you about the Provisional Government. Who's in charge of diplomacy there?"

Tessa Holloran (formerly Number One) sighed. "We haven't gotten that far yet. We're still chasing down the bastards who were raping the planet and who colluded with Clark. And we're still extricating ourselves from EarthGov control. Being independent is nice, but we still have Earth Alliance, PsiCorps, Mega-Corporations, and others who operate there. It's going to be a while."

Lyta considered that. "You represent them, right?"

"Well, yes, I work for them. My position in the Mars Resistance means that I've been involved with organizing everything. But things are still in flux."

Lyta nodded. "Okay. Would you have time to meet someone? I know someone who wanted to contact Mars Gov and your arrival here is kind of fortuitous."

Tess shrugged. "Except this situation with Garibaldi and Lise Hampton-Edgars, I've got nothing else I'm doing here."

"Okay. Where can I find you in an hour?"

* * *

An hour later, Tess was scooped up and taken to a particular set of quarters in Green Sector.

"Tessa Holloran, I would like to introduce you to Ambassador Tory Foster of New Kobol."

Tessa shook the woman's hand and sat down with her. Foster wasted no time. "I hear that you are an agent for the Mars Provisional Government. If I may ask: How long until it is no longer Provisional?"

Tessa considered that. "Well, we've spent the last several months cleaning up the mess left by Clark's powergrab. A lot of corporations were complicit in his actions. When we took over, we started seizing records while everyone in the companies were trying to destroy them. At the same time, we've been working on registering all Mars citizens in preparation for elections which are schedule in a few months. The elections were set for one year from the Earth Senate finally voting to recognize our independence, though Mars Independence day is the day that it was first announced. Once the elections have been completed, the Mars Legislature will finalize our organizing document. At that point, we will become the Mars Government."

Tory considered that. "And until then, what about agreements that the Mars Provisional Government makes?"

Tessa was about to state blanket reassurance but then paused. "Well, to be honest we haven't made any moves outside of extricating ourselves from EarthGov. Unfortunately, the banks are all Earth banks, the companies are all Earth-registered, the Census is still controlled by EarthGov."

"In other words, EarthGov is still trying to pull all the strings."

"Right."

"Well, I have been authorized by the President of New Kobol under the New Kobol constitution to begin talks about setting up formal diplomatic relations with Mars, Including the possibility of setting up consular offices on each other's world. It would be the first New Kobol consulate on any world, the first diplomatic mission outside of the Ambassadorial offices here."

Tessa considered that. "Why? Why Mars first and not Earth Alliance?"

Foster paused and then said, "Officially, we're not ready. Unofficially, we're very leery of creating ties to Earth Gov which might be used to control our access to the economic relationships we wish to create with other worlds. Many of our people wish to visit Earth. There are places there which hold great religious significance for many of our people. Most of our people worship what you would call the Greek Pantheon. Others have a worship much closer to Earth Catholicism, though the monotheistic sects have only recently become officially recognized as we integrate particular New Kobol descendants." She didn't want to explain Humanform Cylons and their beliefs. "But we ourselves are only getting our industry and economy stabilized after arriving as refugees from three distinct cultures, or even four if you look at it a certain way."

The three cultures were the Twelve Tribes, Terran, and the Cylon Collective. The first Cylons had been cleared and allowed to integrate into the larger society. They had an easier time with Terran descendants of the Eastern and Western Alliances, but those who had come from the Twelve Tribes had also begun to accept that not all Cylons were as guilty as those who instigated the campaign against them.

In fact, the most accepting were the Eastern Alliance survivors. They had been subjugated by a militaristic government and understood the concept of being forced to go along with things you personally wouldn't do given any other choice.

John Cavil had manipulated the entire collective into going along with his genocidal hatred based almost completely on jealousy. His jealousy was because he though that Daniel, the Cylons Model Seven, was loved more than him by their parents.

A very stupid reason to start a war most sane and rational people agreed.

Enshrined within the New Kobol constitution was a recognition that any sentient person, whether fully biological or from more mechanical origins, had full rights under law. Theoretically, a mechanical Cylon innocent of any part of the genocidal attack could attain citizenship – though the chance of that actually happening was astronomically low.

Tessa Holloran considered what was being said. "So what do your people really want out of a relationship with Mars?"

"The ability to have a base to negotiate with Earth entities which is not located within control. We need to buy things, sell things, and everything else. We have made contracts with Earth Alliance regarding ship construction and modernization, but we will want to buy foodstuffs and breeding stock. We're working to change the eco-system on our world to be more Human friendly. We do come from Earth stock but we've been separated for 5 millennia. We want to retain our own identity."

Tessa gave a grim smile. "I understand that. We've only been on Mars for a couple hundred years, but we're working to establish our identity. It takes a lot of conviction to do it. We're willing to suffer the pains of going it on our own. But it's going to take discipline. People will have to accept that they aren't able to rely on Earth Gov or being an Earth Citizen. But 'Marsies' have often suffered discrimination so the majority are quite happy."

Tory was curious. "What kind of trouble do people from Mars have compared to Earth residents?"

"Well, first of all, our gravity is much lower. So while biologically we can handle Earth gravity, we have to have special diets to ensure a minimum of bone loss. Children especially have to be put through rigorous exercise and nutrition programs so they aren't disadvantaged later in life." She sighed. "It's actually quite tiring just to live under Earth gravity especially in the first week. Luckily, Humans have experience through space travel on how to combat degeneration. But it's a lot of work."

Tory had a sudden, massive thought. But she didn't want to say anything right then. "Well, I'd like for you to get permission from your government to open up talks on opening economic and social ties. We're separate from Earth. But we're a mainly Human society and we need to set up trade and commerce to fit into the larger galactic community. Mars could prove a valuable partner in the grand scheme of things."

Tessa considered that for a long moment. "I'll call them and see what they say. But I think that we'll be very interested."

"Good. I look forward to speaking to you further."

Tory's mind was racing a mile a minute as she calculated the possible scenarios that she had just thought of. If she was right, her idea could massively effect the relationship between New Kobol, Mars, and Earth.

She realized that the major advantages that Earth Alliance would give up from losing access to Mars could be offset greatly by use of one particular system that the Twelve Tribes had perfected a very long time ago.

The Twelve Tribes had been spread out within four different star systems which shared a close relationship with each other. But because such a large civilization had the need for access to every resource available, certain limitations had to be overcome. Not every planet or moon which contained Human facilities were the same. Under some circumstances, the Twelve Tribes had to create long-term residence on moons so that mining and other operations could be created and maintained.

They had overcome it. And now they could parley their experience into something which would make them too important to Earth to treat them poorly.

First she had to do some research. She moved to her computer and began a search through public information on the Sol system.

* * *

G'Kar finally had had enough. There were far too many Narns showing up on Babylon 5 clamoring for him to "teach them truth" – over all being a religious icon was fast becoming more than he could bear.

Just now, he had been confronted by what Mr. Garibaldi referred to as a "fan boy" – the concept utterly appalled him. The man had sold all of his worldly possessions for the small chance of visiting Babylon 5 and learning from him.

As far as G'Kar was concerned this was not a good use of one's resources.

Finally he thought about a possible route. He made his way to a particular person. After he chimed the door, it opened before him. "Ambassador G'Kar. This is an unexpected surprise. Please come in."

He came in the door. "Ambassador Foster. I am sorry to interrupt whatever you are doing. But I had wanted to make an inquiry."

She turned off the computer terminal she was working at to give him his entire attention. "What can I help you with?"

"Several months ago, you came to the Advisory Board with the idea that your people would possibly engage in exploration of star systems not accessible by the jump gate network. Have any plans been made in that direction?"

Tory sat back. "Well, to be honest, we've been concentrating so much or setting up mining within the New Kobol system that we haven't begun to travel beyond. But I do know that there are plans to find further mining resources in that way. I would estimate we will be ready to begin within 6 months."

"And your plan to include Alliance involvement in case you contact Alien species not currently known to the wider galaxy?" he asked, sitting down in the chair indicated.

"Well, that was the plan. We have no idea how likely or unlikely it is. But we will need to ensure that we've prepared for it in any case."

He considered that and then asked what he really wanted to ask. "What would you say to a Narn accompanying your people on such explorations?"

She sat back, considering him. "What do you have in mind?"

He sighed. "You've seen what has been happening with my people as regards Babylon 5?"

She nodded. "Yes. We've been inundated with pilgrims coming to attempt to become closer to the source of their religious icon." He was pleased to note no amusement or annoyance at that. She was strictly uninvolved.

"Yes. I find that rather than slowing down, interest in my book and myself have only been increasing. There have been calls for me to return to Narn to lead them, or to come back to 'bless' the Kha'ri so that they can rule in my name." He saw that she understood how disgusted he was by the idea. "If I go, I am afraid that the message will be lost in this cult of personality. And if I stay, my presence threatens the stability of the station. So I need a third option."

The Ambassador gave him a long look. "You wish to disappear."

"Yes," he said with satisfaction at the idea. "I have done my part in freeing my world. I have been serving my people's interests for my entire life. I have passed on what little wisdom that I have gleaned from the experience. And now I wish to live my own life. I wish to explore, to see things that I would otherwise never be able to see, to meet people I would otherwise never have met. I with to live my own life, for the first time since I was a pouchling on Narn. I have enquired about buying a ship, having thought to take it out and go exploring. But your people will be going places that haven't been visited in centuries if ever and I think that I would like to come along for the ride."

She considered that for a long moment. "So you don't want to tell people you are coming to us, because then they would follow you, but you would like to go along."

"Exactly!" he said with a grand smile.

She grinned at his obvious enthusiasm for the idea. "Why don't I contact my government and see what they say?"

"How long before you could find out?"

Tory shrugged. "We're no so big that such a thing needs to be lost in the bureaucracy." She stood up and walked to the communication panel. He was amazed that she instantly sent a call out to the Presidential Residence on New Kobol.

"Ambassador Foster. What can I do for you today?"

"Hello, President Grazier. I would like to introduce you to Ambassador G'Kar of the Narn Regime."

The man in the screen looked over. "Ambassador G'Kar. It is good to speak with you. Our relationship with your people has proved quite advantageous."

The first newly-created Battlestar would soon be coming out of the Narn shipyards. In addition, a small portion of the shipbuilding was replacing the civilian ships that they had brought from the Twelve Tribes, Terra, and the Copernicus colony.

"And Narn has profited greatly as well. It is good to speak to you as well. I had only formally met with President Roslin when I visited the Septis system before your people emigrated to your current world."

"Yes. Well, what can I do for you?" he asked.

"G'Kar has a personal problem that he came here to enquire about. He needs to disappear from Babylon 5 for reasons that would require a very long explanation, too long for this call. Suffice it to say, if he stays here he will have to become a hermit to avoid religious devotees. He asked if we were going to soon begin our plans to find new mining resources and if he could possibly come along to help meet people that we might run into."

Grazier looked surprised. "Your people are one of the most powerful in the Alliance, from what I have read from my briefings. Your involvement has been vital. Are you certain your people could stand to lose such a valuable entity in such a position?"

G'Kar's annoyance bled through. "At the current rate, my ability to do my job decreases daily. At this point, the Kha'ri are already attempting to once again put me in a position of rulership that I have no interest in or to use me so that they can manipulate my people to follow them blindly. Disappearing is my only choice. And your plans to seek out systems that we currently have no access to sounds like a wonderful chance to disappear. I can use my knowledge to guide you with any peoples that have formerly been in contact with the greater galaxy and I can smooth out your relationship with the Alliance. It's a win-win situation, as the Earth Humans would put it."

"I will have to talk to my cabinet, specifically the Commerce Minister and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The proposed exploration will be a joint operation between the military and commerce. An extra diplomatic entity could prove valuable. I will inform our Ambassador when we've made a decision. But I see no reason why that can't be as soon as tomorrow."

G'Kar's relief was palpable. "Thank you. I look forward to the chance to serve all of our peoples."

"Good." He looked at Tory. "Is there anything else?"

"Why don't I send Ambassador G'Kar on his way and then I want to discuss a possibility."

"Very well. I'll hold, Ambassador Foster."


	24. The Proposition

It took a few days but the assassin sent against Michael Garibaldi and Lise Hampton-Edgars had been caught. With the assistance of Col. Lyta Alexander of Alliance Intelligence the true source of the threat had been determined.

Those not involved were not given details but Michael Garibaldi had ensured that there would be no more threats from that direction. He had also married his long-time love. All-in-all, they seemed quite happy.

Tessa Holloran had been kept behind on Babylon 5 at the request of Tory Foster. She was waiting for a meeting which she had been assured would be coming soon. In the meantime, she had been offered a position with the Alliance – Lyta Alexander would be called home when Sheridan and Delenn moved to Minbar and Tessa was going to replace her.

G'Kar would be smuggled out. Well, to be honest, G'Kar would make a great show of leaving but would be smuggled to New Kobol.

But none of that (except some minor assistance with the G'Kar matter) was the concern of Tory Foster, who had been working very long hours coming up with a tentative proposal for Mars, Earth, and New Kobol.

She had furiously worked for several days and had finally requested several people join her for a meeting in one of the Diplomatic Conference rooms.

* * *

Captain Elizabeth Lochley of Earth Alliance was surprised at the number of attendees to this meeting which had caused a good portion of her day to be blocked out.

The Ambassador for New Kobol had made the request. She was asked formally to represent EarthGov as she was, according to treaty, the highest-ranked diplomatic entity in the sector.

EarthDome had been leery as she was military and not a true diplomat, but had finally authorized it when it had been explained that the talks were meant as only the first in a long series that would be required. Any proposals would require much work before they could progress into anything close to binding treaties. A true member of the diplomatic core would take over at the appropriate time.

Tory took charge of the meeting. "Hello. My name is Tory Foster and I am the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for the New Kobol government."

Murmurs of acknowledgement were heard. "I would like to thank President Sheridan and Ambassador Delenn for their attendance. Except for one small matter, they are here as observers only as this is, for the most part, a matter between different mostly Human governments. So, thank you for being here." Polite responses took a few moments.

"Now. Captain Elizabeth Lochley has been authorized to hear my proposals and she is representing EarthGov. Tessa Holloran, an agent for the Mars Provisional Government, is representing Mars. Lise Hampton-Edgars is representing Edgars Industries and Michael Garibaldi is her future Chief Operating Officer."

Lise volunteered, "COO and Chairman of the Board. My position as CEO will be mostly ceremonial." She smiled in humor. "I'm keeping CEO so that he has to listen to me when I order him to sleep on the couch when he pisses me off." Most of the people chuckled.

"Yes. Well. Far be it for me to intrude on the internal matters. Mr. Garibaldi? Good luck. You're going to need it." Tory was very amused, as was everyone else there. Garibaldi had a sheepish grin at that.

"Now. Before we get into the matter of the main proposal. President Sheridan? Am I correct in that one of the ways you help convince governments to join the Alliance is a promise of technological advances they currently don't have access to?"

Sheridan and Delenn glanced at each other and then Sheridan said, "Besides the assistance of the White Stars to patrol their outer borders, that is one of the main draws. The main powers have the manufacturing and resources but many worlds have limited ability to muster the forces required. The technology matter is mostly the ability to create gravity systems on ships. Economic and logistical coordination for large-scale trade is another."

Tory nodded. "Well, I have been authorized to make a gift to the Alliance of a particular technology that you could assist your members with." She opened her briefcase and withdrew a small box containing a data crystal. She put it on the table and pushed it over. "This data crystal contains the technology perfected by the Twelve Tribes to build oxygen and atmosphere mining systems to more efficiently harvest useable atmosphere from worlds which have an atmosphere but are otherwise unsuitable for colonization or exploration due to proximity to a stellar body or other limitation."

She pulled another box out and placed it on the table. "We are giving this, also, specifically to EarthGov. Within the Sol system is Venus, which is 96 and a half percent Carbon Dioxide and 3 and a half percent nitrogen. With the proper facilities, you could mine oxygen, nitrogen and other useable trace gases in large quantities and process CO2 to provide air for your ships and for other uses. However, there is one requirement we have for your acceptance of this."

Lochley looked at the box and then at Tory. Earth Alliance normally used air from Earth or one of their colonies for their ships. But there were strict limits so as not to negatively impact the environment. The technology could be important – if managed properly. "And that requirement, Ambassador?"

Tory smiled at Tessa and then looked at the Captain. "While Mars has been declared independent, they still are dependant on Earth for some of their atmospheric systems. Mars, however, is a part of the same system as Earth and should enjoy the benefits of that. They can claim at least a percentage of ownership of the system. They should be able to enjoy the benefits of a partial ownership of the facility. If EarthGov accepts the technology and implements it on Venus, which is an ideal place to use this technology, they should not have to pay as though they were a customer. Sell to traders, sell to other governments, sell to your own citizens. But Mars must be allowed to claim at least 5 percent of the output of the facility for no extra charge beyond covering the costs of transporting it."

Lochley looked at the Ambassador and then at the Mars representative, who was now showing quite a positive response to what had been said. Mars had to spend a lot of money reclaiming oxygen from the processing of iron-oxide on the surface. An easier source for oxygen would be a great advantage.

Lochley looked over at Sheridan and Delenn. They were murmuring to each other quietly. But they also seemed to approve of the idea. Atmosphere reclamation was often difficult and many worlds couldn't afford to mine it sufficiently from their own worlds. It was a far more important technology than it seemed to be on initial consideration.

Tory Foster knew that Earth was actually quite lucky that they had such a world in their own system. Not many systems had a world so rich in atmosphere which was otherwise unusable. The temperature of Venus made it too harsh for use. But it could be used as a resource.

Lochley finally said, "I do believe that EarthGov will be quite interested. But I do have a few questions, if they are not considered to impolite." Tory looked interested. "Why are your systems so much more efficient that those we might have already?"

Tory smiled. "It involves the use of our gravitational systems to make the operations sufficiently efficient to make it worthwhile. You have to put a facility in a low enough orbit to reach the atmosphere but high enough to manipulate temperature using the environment of space to liquefy or solidify the gasses so that they are small enough to transport. It's a delicate balancing act and you can't do it far enough out in orbit for the normal gravitational influence of a world to hold it in orbit without causing it to fall. It's not _easy_, but it _works_."

Lochley considered that. "But that would mean that we will need the gravity systems that you have."

"Yes. But that will be taken care of with my main proposal. Allow me to complete all explanations before you give what I assume can only be a tentative acceptance, since you will have to talk to EarthDome for approval."

Lochley nodded.

"Another facet of this technology is that you will have to ensure that those corporations which currently profit from atmosphere reclamation won't see severe economic impact. EarthGov can choose what companies administrate any facility and so you can ensure your corporate citizens are not negatively affected by the use of it. Also, I would note that we are giving this to Earth specifically and not Mars because Mars is overall a customer. Now, that means that the Mars economy might also be negatively impacted because many people make their living from the processing of oxygen from the Mars crust. Ms. Holloran, am I correct?"

Tessa was startled at the question and then she began considering that. "Actually, you do have a point. There is a lot of money tied up in the process. And while we can replace some of that with managing the transport, it will be something that could cause some problems."

"Right. Before I explain my proposal, I have a question for you." Tessa looked interested. "Earth Alliance has facilities on Mars which causes some tension there?"

Tessa agreed. "Yes. Part of the problem with Mars Independence has always been that Earth Alliance uses it as a staging area for their fleet. It's cheaper to store and move supplies on Mars rather than Earth because the lower gravity allows for easier transport. But Earth Alliance also has a bad reputation because many Mars citizens feel that they are given short shrift. President Sheridan was involved in the Mars Food Riots – he has first hand experience with how poorly Earth Alliance and the Mars populace get along."

Sheridan winced at that. "Yes. There's a reason why Earth Alliance members are only given limited access to Mars and permission is often not granted. If there are too many of them seen, it causes unrest because of what happened in the past. As Captain Lochley can confirm, we try to keep things as separate as possible." Lochley nodded in agreement at that.

Tessa said, "It also doesn't help that EarthGov has been quite obstructionist in our efforts to track down the companies and the people who have been exploiting Mars for decades. There are a lot of people who really are unhappy with how poorly we still are treated. President Sheridan has authorized Mars to create their own Embassy in Tuzanor completely separate from EarthGov. And he's also giving me a job which will allow access to information which will help us clamp down on corruption. But EarthDome is not making this easier. For any of us."

Lochley looked like she had to consciously clamp down on her desire to protest. Holloran's statements were true but she concentrated on Mars' side and was dismissive of the problems on EarthGov's side.

"Yes. Well, I do believe I have a solution which will help all of us."

Tessa looked at Foster in surprise. "And what is that?"

"The New Kobol government would like to license our artificial gravity technology in Earth Alliance through Edgars Industries. While a large part of their stake is pharmacuticals, they are a conglomerate which has interests in many other areas, including shipping and transport."

"And how will this help the situation between Mars and Earth?" Lochley asked.

"Well, my idea came from a realization on the marked difference between the artificial gravity systems used by races in this sector of space and our own. From what I understand, artificial gravity on Minbari and Centauri ships is intricately tied in with propulsion as they use gravimetric drives. Is my supposition correct, Ambassador Delenn?"

Delenn considered that. "Well, as they are employed in our ships, that is true."

Tory nodded at her answer. "Well, I thought about it and realized that our ships use ion drives exclusively. Our artificial gravity systems are completely separate from propulsion and any other system outside of power generation. But there is a good reason for that."

Sheridan considered that and asked, "What reason is that?"

"Because the Helios systems which were sent to from Kobol had twelve habitable worlds between them. We had twelve tribes. And although we landed together, we spent the next thousand years colonizing the different worlds. And then the next thousand years fighting with each other."

At their confused looks she continued. "Helios was a system with four stars. And until the Cylon War we were not united. This meant that every world had to use every resource it could get its hands on to ensure that they were powerful enough not to be taken over by one or more of the other colonies. Moons, asteroids, planetoids: All of these were resources and we had to create systems which would allow people to live on them for months and years at a time.

"Consider Luna, which orbits Earth. Luna is 27 percent the size of Earth, though it isn't as dense which means its gravity is only one-sixth. But it contains mineral resources which are actually quite vast. The only reason why it isn't mined more extensively is because you can't have people living in that environment for long periods of time due to degeneration from the low gravity. Earth Alliance has some resources there, but it's mostly a place for either very long-term or very short term storage. Isn't that right?"

Lochley said, "That's true. Also, there is an agreement from the twentieth century which made it so that no one country could claim ownership of the moon. They decided it belonged to Earth as a whole. By the time Earth Alliance fully united, we already were colonizing distant stars using the hyperspace technology provided by the Centauri and there were places far easier to extract resources from. Mars was logistically easier to put a long-term base on."

Tory nodded. "Exactly right. Too many limitations and not enough value for the effort. But the Twelve Tribes would have laughed at your short-sightedness. One of the main reasons we developed artificial gravity was to allow us to live and work on places like Luna. Which brings me to my proposal."

She turned to the Mars side. "If we license our artificial gravity technology through Edgars Industries on Mars, allowing you to built factories to produce the systems, Earth Alliance would have to enjoy the right to obtain at cost only what is needed to create a base on Luna to replace Mars as a logistics resource. Just like Earth will have to provide Mars with a partial ownership to the atmoshphere mining facilities at Venus.

"Earth Alliance would save a lot of money by being able to transport from a planet with much lower gravity while still being able to operate a base with full gravity. MarsGov could also obtain the systems to install for their population to live under a more suitable gravity, more in-line with Human needs. MarsGov could also get these systems at cost. But Edgars Industries could sell to other worlds, to shipping manufacturers, to mining conglomerates. New Kobol would have their own industry making these systems to sell to Alien governments and businesses as well, but I'm certain that Earth Alliance and its citizens would appreciate having a source much closer to home."

Delenn, who had been listening, asked, "How would that effect the Alliance's relationship with its members?"

Tory answered, "You can still teach them how to create artificial gravity on their ships, how to make their own systems. They can make their own ships if they prefer. But it doesn't mean that individual worlds can't have industries which allow them to provide such a valuable product. Our manufactures technology is owned by our people. It's completely separate from what you would provide your members – you didn't promise them to build manufacturing plants. And with what we have just given you, you can ensure that your members have access to more technology which makes it worth it to be a part of the Alliance."

Tessa had also been thinking about what was said. "If Earth Alliance and Earth Gov move to Luna, the infrastructure left behind could be used by Mars to expand its population centers as well as to build a larger manufacturing base. Ownership of those areas would make up for a lot of the bad blood that was generated from our past history. The Mars Gov could absolve Earth Gov of any past crimes against our citizens in exchange for ownership – Earth Alliance does have a very large complex on Mars. I think I can sell that to my government as long as we can still go after the private corporations we plan on prosecuting. Earth Gov and Earth Alliance would get a pass for their part. But that would have to include _all _Earth Gov instillations leaving."

Lochley asked, "What do you mean 'all'?" She was curious as to the extra emphasis.

Tessa said, "It's not a very hard secret to discover that Psi Corp has a much larger base in Syria Planum than they are willing to admit. Psi Corp is an Earth Alliance institution. It would have to go too."

Lochley realized that this was a far more complex and involved situation than one would consider at first glance. It was true that Earth Gov would lose quite a lot of resources if they left Mars entirely. A lot of people would be quite unhappy. But the ability to make Luna a base to replace it would be very attractive to a large portion of Earth Gov. Earth Alliance didn't necessarily _like_ using Mars as a base because Mars didn't _like_ having Earth Gov having so much influence there.

Mars and Earth had not enjoyed a very pleasant relationship for a very long time.

Earth would own the atmosphere processing and Mars would have the artificial gravity manufacturing. These took care of the economic and security roadblocks to separating Mars from Earth quite nicely. She had a thought.

"What about planetary security for Mars? Earth Alliance's presence ensures that piracy is a minimal problem. Mars would still need protection from unscrupulous people attempting to take advantage. Even if Mars is separate, Earth interests are involved in the ship-building and supply done there. We can't just leave and hope for the best. We can't allow criminals to use Mars as a base to operate against Earth commerce or Earth Alliance specifically. There are far too many criminals who already use it because it's very hard to watch everything."

Tessa's growing enthusiasm immediately stopped at that. Her face fell a little bit as she admitted to herself that this would be a major stumbling block. The Mars Resistance had used the resentment between Earth and Mars to operate without being caught. They had created relationships with those who were less than fully legal in order to accomplish their own objectives. Now that the Mars Provisional Government was in charge, they had to confront the criminal element. An amnesty for those who had assisted them had been discussed in some very secret meetings. But there was a criminal element which would be a problem if this was to go forward.

Tessa looked around at the others present. Garibaldi had also had an "Oh, yeah" expression at the thought. Sheridan as well. Delenn looked like she didn't fully understand – she wasn't Human and had no direct experience with the situation. But her face did show concern. Then she noticed that Tory Foster had not shown any immediate worry at all.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked suspiciously.

Tory smiled. "We have a solution for that as well."

Tessa was interested, as was everyone else there. "Tell me."

Tory said, "New Kobol consolidated several different cultures and groups. Our military uses the Battlestars, Gunstars, and fighters that we brought from the Twelve Colonies. We also have ships that come from Terra, both the Eastern and Western Alliances. Copernicus colony, which was started by an expedition from the Colonies, had started to have some trouble with the Eastern Alliance of Terra. They stole their ship and used it as the basis to create their own flagship, the Warstar Pandora. While it is fully operational, it isn't the best platform to operate a fleet involving several worlds and different stellar systems. It isn't as powerful as an Earth Alliance warship or a Battlestar, but it isn't a bad ship either. We have been removing our jump drives from all ships that aren't New Kobol Military. The refugees from Terra realize that the Battlestars are much better but many were upset at the idea of destroying the ships and using them as recycling.

"I talked to President Grazier and suggested that we give these ships over to Mars to form their own Planetary Security Forces. They have gravity and they have weapons. While Earth Alliance, we are certain, doesn't want a potential threat so close to home, we think that Earth Alliance and the Mars government could form a partnership. In exchange for having their crew gain experience on ships with gravity, they could provide a portion of the crew which would man the ships that we are willing to give to Mars to solidify our relationship with them. They would need some upgrading to plasma or laser weaponry as they currently only contain kinetic weapons, but Earth and Mars could work together to do so. Mars would own the ships, quite sufficient to protect Mars from pirates and other threats, but their forces wouldn't be so powerful to be a threat to Earth. And with Earth Alliance crew on board, any attack between the two would be thwarted. Mars Security would have to command. But it could be a way to take care of the problem."

Tessa, at that, realized that Mars would not see an entire sweep of their concerns washed away with what was being talked about. Yes, they could get rid of Earth Gov from the Mars surface. Yes, their economy would see a boost from the new business. But Earth would have to have assurances and a part as well. Mars wanted to be safe from Earth, but Earth wanted to be safe from Mars as well.

It was a compromise. Tessa snorted. Sheridan asked, "What's so funny?"

"I'm reminded of the saying that a good compromise is when both parties are dissatisfied. We would get a lot from what Ambassador is proposing but there will be a lot of unhappy people."

Lochley gave a rueful chuckle. "On our side too. It takes care of a whole lot of problems but there are going to be quite a lot of people who are quite pissed about it."

Tory said, "We'll have certain people who will be upset that we're giving so much away too. But while we have been gone for 5000 years, Earth is where we originally came from. We're willing to gift Earth technology just for that fact. We want a relationship with Mars so that we aren't beholden to Earth in that area – we want to retain our own culture and don't want Earth culture to overwhelm us. But we've got religious pilgrims who want the chance to visit Earth as soon as possible. We've got people who want to visit Earth to see our ancestral home. And there are Earth people who are clamoring for the chance to visit New Kobol. We can't politely ignore Earth as a whole anymore. This is the best way I could think of to accomplish everything while not stomping all over everyone else."

Garibaldi, who had been watching and thinking, sighed and said, "Checks and balances. Mars alone can't go it alone against Earth bureaucracy but New Kobol and Mars together can force change. Mars can't go at it alone against criminals and pirates, but Mars and Earth together can keep everyone safe. And New Kobol can't go it alone against efforts by Earth companies to take advantage of the technology that they brought with them, but Mars and New Kobol can stand together to keep themselves safe. And Mars and New Kobol together can fight the influence of forced cultural change from the much larger Earth Alliance. And Earth and New Kobol together can expand their relationship to advance each others' ships and not suffer because of a Mars monopoly on artificial gravity manufacturing in the Sol system. And Edgars Industries gets to be the source of that but we have to give up any profit when dealing with Mars Gov and Earth Alliance."

Lochley nodded. "Everyone gives something and everyone gets something. Now we just have to sell it."

Tory asked, "So I have a tentative agreement on accepting our gift?" she motioned toward the box which she had taken out to hand over.

"I'll call EarthDome, but I do believe that I will be accepting it on the behalf of Earth Gov and Earth Alliance."

"I'll contact the Provisional Government," Tessa said. "There's a lot of upside to this. The combined defense will upset them, but I think they'll be willing to compromise if I talk really fast."

Lise and Michael looked at each other and then, after Lisa nodded, Michael said, "We're in."

"I'm glad we begin to normalize our relations," Tory said with a smile.

* * *

Tory held Tessa back after everyone had left. Tessa was curious. "Tell your government that we're pretty close to being able to sell fresh and processed foods grown on New Kobol. We're also going to be selling to the Narn and other governments. But maybe it would be nice not to be too dependant on Earth."

Tessa gave a small smile. "Earth won't be too happy with that. But I think we'll be just fine with it."

Tory grinned. "Competition is good for the soul."


	25. Answering the Cylon Response

Ta'lon arrived to Babylon 5 to find that G'Kar had already left.

They message left behind had imposed a duty, a duty as sacred as the sword that he carried. He would represent his people.

Once he had formally alerted the Station Registry that he had officially taken over the Narn Ambassadorial Quarters, he made his way to the Interstellar Alliance offices to check in.

With some assistance, he found the location of the person he wanted to check in with. Nodding to the security guard whom he had to provide his identification to, he walked into the conference room.

He found that there were several people in the room. Besides the Centauri who used to assist Mollari, there was also a Human-looking woman with light-brown skin. Her name was Foster, if he remembered correctly, and she represented the Humans who had settled a world at the edge of Minbari space who were not a part of Earth present was Delenn, whom was known throughout all known civilizations as a wise and caring woman, one of the two leaders who had successfully won the Shadow War.

And the last person present was the other leader, the man who had led the fight and who had also freed his own world from a despotic leader, the former Commander of Babylon 5 and now President of the Interstellar Alliance: John Sheridan.

All present had immediately noticed his arrival. While most of them were curious, Sheridan's face lit up in recognition. "Ta'lon! I heard that you were coming." Sheridan stood and approached and the two friends embraced.

"It is good to see you, my friend." After the two disengaged he looked around, "I hope that I am not intruding or interrupting."

"No," John said. With his hand still on Ta'lon's shoulder he turned and looked at the others present. "Everyone, this is Ta'lon. He's taken G'Kar's place as the Narn Representative to Interstellar Alliance." Sheridan glanced at Ta'Lon.

"You know Delenn, of course."

Ta'lon stepped forward and said, "Ambassador Delenn. It is good to see you again as well." He gave a respectful bow.

She was smiling at the friendly interaction between her husband and this Narn. She knew of their history and looked quite happy for his presence.

"This is Vir Cotto, who replaced Londo Mollari as the representative for the Centauri."

He bowed with respect again. "Ambassador Cotto. I am pleased to see you again as well."

"Thank you, Ambassador Ta'lon. We're glad to have you."

"And this is Ambassador Tory Foster of New Kobol."

The woman stepped forward and extended her hand even as he respectfully nodded his head in a briefer bow. "Ambassador. It is good to meet you."

"And you as well. I was aware of your identity – G'Kar had pointed you out when I last visited. Your people and mine work together on rebuilding our fleets – I had planned on making your acquaintance as soon as possible so I am glad that you are here as I 'check in' as you Humans often say." He looked at her face for a moment and said in his cheerful manner, "You have a look of curiosity. Is there something I can help you with?"

She looked at him and gave a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry. It's not a large thing but I was wondering …" She paused. "I learned the history of the various races when I was appointed. And living here I am aware of how the Centauri and the Narn consider each other. Even Ambassador G'Kar and now-Emperor Mollari, when they were here, still treated each other with … amused mockery even if they had approached something of a friendship with each other. Your reaction to Ambassador Cotto was just a bit more respectful that I was expecting. I'm sorry if my curiosity seems rather forward."

Ta'Lon smiled and glanced at Vir before replying, "Yes. Our peoples do have a contentious relationship even now, when we are all allies. But I try to keep all of my interactions respectful. And even if he is a Centauri, Vir Cotto, for reasons not often mentioned, is actually viewed quite positively among my people and by my government." He looked and saw that Vir looked a little worried. "Considering who is present, I am willing to explain – as long as you agree to keep this strictly confidential. The information could … embarrass him with some members of the Centauri Royal Court."

Tory looked over and saw the Vir was looking relieved at the idea of discretion and so she said, "I won't talk about it with anyone not here without permission from Vir."

Ta'lon nodded and then looking at Vir, he waited until the man gave an approving nod. "During the occupation of our world, Vir used his position as attaché to Minbar and his knowledge from working with Ambassador Mollari to help relocate thousands of my people, saving them from work camps and execution camps. Mollari himself, was not directly involved but when he discovered what Vir was doing, he had to order him to vacate his position. It would have embarrassed Mollari with his own people that his protégé was involved with such things. But the system he created within Centauri records was used by Commander Ivanova to continue to assist in freeing many Narns at risk. And so, when possible, I will always treat Ambassador Cotto with respect. He is a good man. That he now represents the Centauri Empire gives me hope for the future."

Vir was embarrassed but pleased. "Thank you, Ta'lon. That was very nice to hear." He then looked at Sheridan. "I didn't know that Ivanova kept using the Linconi identity."

John chuckled. "Yes. We didn't tell you so that you didn't have to tell Londo – he was already pissed. That was right after we broke away from Earth and Susan needed something to give her some purpose. She was actually quite gleeful in her ability to backdoor into the Centauri government and use the ruse to help more Narns escape and to provide food at some critical times. We couldn't handle Earth then – helping the Narns was soul-mending work for her."

Delenn smiled as well. "Something the religious caste was more than happy to assist with. It allowed more of my people to feel they were contributing to the greater universe when fear was running rampant because of the Shadows."

Tory was surprised. "These are the kind of things that no one ever told me."

Sheridan nodded and in good humor said, "Plausible deniability is a wonderful thing." He looked at Ta'lon. "It's probably good that you are here. Tory was just filling us in on a developing situation and it's good to have the whole Advisory Board of the Alliance here to talk about it." He motioned toward the Narn seat. "Sit down and we'll explain."

Soon everyone was sitting down. Ambassador Foster spoke. "Did you ever hear of how and why we ended up in this part of the galaxy?" she asked the new Narn representative.

"G'Kar explained it to me, as much as he knew. You had suffered a genocidal attack from something called 'Cylons' who had begun as mechanical beings created by your own people. They had evolved into having some Human-like versions and infiltrated your society to ensure the attacks were successful. But that occurred in Dark Sector, where we cannot go."

Foster nodded. "That's right. There's a lot more to it, but suffice it to say that we later found that the entire war was instigated by a single Human-form Cylon model – there were thirteen at that time – and he did so because he was jealous of affection his creators gave to Humans and the other Cylon Human-form models."

Ta'lon considered that. "This sounds like something I will have to learn about in detail when I have opportunity, but what is the situation which is of concern at the moment?"

"Well, since we discovered what was really going on, we used what we knew to create or exacerbate a rift within the Cylon Collective and they have been in a civil war for about a year. The two sides include the one that is for killing all Humans and the ones who regret the war and who wish to just go their own way and even, perhaps, have positive interactions with Humans and other sentient peoples. One side, the side regretting it, has now tried to make official contact after they were given some information by Admiral Adama, the overall commander of our Battlestar fleet. His ship made contact a week ago and now we have representatives meeting in a location which contains a hyperspace communication beacon which we monitor. They don't know about Hyperspace but they know that we're monitoring. They've asked for an official meeting with whoever is in charge."

"In charge of your people?" Ta'lon asked curiously.

"No. In charge of the Alliance. They know that the Cylon Collective is a threat and they want to retreat away from the murderous side. But we need to ensure that there are safeguards. So I was asked by my government to brief the President and find out what the Alliance wants to do."

Sheridan nodded. "We were just about to leave for Minbar so that we can set up in the offices in Tuzanor on the Miinbari homeworld. Most of the diplomatic offices will remain here or at least Babylon 5 will still be the center of trade negotiations for members. We'll deal with the Rangers and security issues from Minbar. But this thing with the Cylons – this could blow up in our faces if we don't handle it well."

Ta'lon considered all he was learning and said, "What are your plans?"

Sheridan and Delenn looked at each other and then Delenn said, "We were nearing our departure date. We were discussing the possibility of adding time for a meeting with these Cylons to learn their true intentions."

Ta'lon asked, "Where?"

"At the edge of the Dark Regions. We would require the assistance of the New Kobol military to get there, but their presence would also provide some security against treachery. We still are not entirely certain of the intentions of those who wish to meet with us." Delenn looked very serious at that.

Ta'lon thought about it. He looked at Vir. "What do you think?"

Vir was startled – he mostly took a watch and listen approach. But he answered, "The Cylons are a threat, just like the Drak are, or Drakh, however that's pronounced. And while I don't like the idea of making the threat worse, I'm all for reducing them when possible. If we can have a meeting and talk, isn't that better than fighting?"

Ta'lon nodded in understanding. "G'Kar picked me because I am more warrior than priest whereas he had become too much priest and not enough warrior. But even warriors understand that fighting is the last resort. If we can remove or reduce the threat without armed conflict, we should do so."

Sheridan sighed. "I was the one who was leery – I've been burned too many times. But I agree. We should make the effort." He looked at Tory. "Who should go?"

"You and Delenn. Shai Alyt Shakiri if we can get him to agree as he has provided many warrior caste members to work with our crews. A Narn presence wouldn't be amiss. The Centauri look similar to Humans, so I don't know if a presence there would be valuable."

Vir said, "I'll contact the Emperor and see what he wants. As I am technically his representative and Centauri politics is all about how you look, he might prefer my going. But I would have to ask."

Tory looked at Sheridan. "Should we get an Earth Alliance member to be present? I don't necessarily want to involve Earth yet but it might be good to see how the Cylons react to their existence."

Sheridan considered that. "I'll ask for Ivanova. She's going from colony to colony in the Hyperion, making nice with them in an effort to help calm down any worries that Earth Gov is still run by Clark's people. Her ship being given real artificial gravity was widely promoted and she's known to have been on the other side. But she could take a break for a few days. And she'll be careful with how she words her reports if we ask her to do it."

Sheridan said, "We don't want to let Earth Force figure out how to contact them directly and possibly get the jump drive they use. Even if it's a New-Kobol-only tech by treaty, Earth wouldn't hesitate to sneak in if they might be able to get it themselves."

Deleen said, "That's something I hadn't considered yet. But you make a good point. So we request her presence. If they say no, then we don't accept another representative instead."

Sheridan said, "Right."

Ta'lon said, "And how do we get there?"

Tory answered that. "The President is leaving by White Star. Our first new Battlestar, Atlantia, has been launched from the Narn shipyard. The jump drive is being installed back at New Kobol as we speak – we decided not to install it at the shipyard but to prepare the ship for it. A Battlestar could meet us a few hours out from here, jump us to New Kobol space, and then the new ship could take us to the meeting. Like the Pegasus, it has four landing bays and we've made certain that two of them were equipped to handle two White Stars each – they bays are longer than what we had on earlier Battlestars for that reason as well as others. But it would be ideal for a show of strength as well as security for the meeting."

Delenn and Sheridan looked at each other once more. Ta'lon knew that they were also interested in this new Battlestar. He had some knowledge as he had seen it's construction at the shipyards, but many details were confidential. He knew when they agreed without their even saying it. Their words concurred with his observation. "Let's do that then. I'll ask Lochley to pass on the request for Ivanova to meet up with us and then we'll make a show of leaving on a White Star." He turned to Tory. "You might want to launch your ship ASAP with Vir and Ta'lon on it, once Vir contacts the Centauri Palace and get's confirmation. That way, you'll already be gone and can go with us back to New Kobol and to the meeting."

"Actually, we have the Eternal coming to pick up some more telepaths seeking asylum. We're still berthing them on Phoenix while they wait for transport. We can just go through the normal launch, meet up with Eternal in hyperspace, and then have the phoenix land. We can then have the Eternal wait for your ship – it's a Mercury like the Pegasus and can land a White Star and it has a Minbari complement unlike the Galactica. How long before you actually leave?"

Sheridan looked around. "It's supposed to be secret but two days."

Vir snorted. When the others looked he said, "A secret on Babylon 5 doesn't last that long. I've known that for at least a few days."

Sheridan whined, "How? We only decided on the exact day a week ago."

Vir smirked. "Londo _was_ my mentor. Give me credit for having at least some resources of my own to find things out." That was all he would say but he did add, "If I had heard about a threat, I would have told you. But I have people making certain it's safe. Londo made certain I was given _all_ the duties that he normally would cover. And that includes ensuring the safety of ships from other governments when it's politically expedient that they remain safe."

Delenn wryly asked, "And our safety is _expedient_?" She hid her brief disappointment.

But instead of agreeing, Vir blushed a little. "Well, I actually did it because I like you and you're my friends. But if Londo or anyone in the Royal Court asks me, that's going to be my answer as to why I did it."

Delenn gave him a smile while rolling her eyes. "Centauri politics are always so … interesting." Ta'lon buried his own snarky comment about Centauri politics because he actually liked Vir Cotto. Foster just shook her head and Sheridan gave his wife a grin.

* * *

A few hours later, approval was given from Centauri Prime, Ta'lon had quietly informed his government, and Tory Foster had turned over control of the New Kobol diplomatic offices to the man commanding the marines protecting the Phoenix. They could continue accepting telepaths as refugees as needed while she was away.

Going along with them with Colonel Lyta Alexander, who was returning to New Kobol at the end of her services being loaned to the Alliance. Tessa Holloran had been installed and now was in charge of the organization. Lyta was looking forward to actually having a home.

Eternal waited near a jump gate just six hours from Babylon 5. Because the wait would be a day and a half, the vipers and Nials patrolled and did drills to keep their skills sharp. There was considerable competition between the warrior caste Minbari and the New Kobol pilots but it was all in good fun.

Just as expected, the White Star commanded by Sheridan arrived just on time and soon the Eternal was making ready to jump to New Kobol space.

* * *

The visitors moved to the White Star during that transition and within a very few minutes of reaching New Kobol space the White Star was exiting from the Eternal.

Everyone on the ship could see their destination.

Attached to the Lobo Negro space dock was a ship which looked like a sleeker, newer version of the other Battlestars that they had seen.

The Battlestar Atlantia was of a comparable size to the Battlestar Prometheus and the Battlestar Nova, which were also part of the New Kobol fleet.

Sheridan, as soon as he saw it, whistled in appreciation. "Wow. That is a nice ship." He turned to Foster and asked, "What can you tell us about her?"

Tory just gave a small smile and said, "Wait until we're on board and get the briefing from the Commander. He can tell you far more than I could."

Sheridan considered that and nodded. "Okay. Well, open a channel to Homeworld Defense." He had been briefed on standard protocols in New Kobol space. Most ships contacted the Themis Spaceport but his destination was a Battlestar, he was to contact Homeworld Defense.

Very soon, White Star 3 (the lowest numbered White Star left) was directed to landing on the lower deck of the Starboard Deck. Amazingly, the ship landed on a cradle which seemed to be shaped for a White Star to fit right onto. He asked Tory about that.

She replied, "Actually, the cradle mechanism was installed to conform to whatever ship might be landed on the bay. Because this ship will be the one sent off to find worlds that are currently inaccessible to the hyperspace network, we recognized that the Alliance may send different ships or we might have to land a ship that isn't shaped optimally to land on a flat deck. As a result, as long as we have specifications, we can adjust the height, placement, and angle of the cradle to accept anything that is irregularly shaped. It was an expensive system to design and build, but we decided that we didn't need to spend the money to build a fleet of hundreds of warships so we could spend the money on making the best ships for the population we have. In fact, our current ships crew 20 percent of our current population. It's going to take generations before we have enough population to field more than seven capital ships at a time and even then our ships have to crew fewer to make it viable."

Sheridan shook his head. "That really drives home how many people you lost."

Tory nodded but then smiled. "But we have had a population boom of a sort. As soon as we settled, a lot of people who were holding off on having children started making babies. We jumped from about 147,000 a year ago including the final rescuees from the Colonies and Terra to about 149,000 in just two months. In the next six months, if the majority of pregnancies are successful, we'll go to about 151,000."

Delenn was amazed. "That's a lot of babies."

Tory nodded. "Having babies is, right now, considered a sacred duty to our people. We lost billions. And every woman of child-bearing age is being asked to produce at least two children within the first five years, if not more. Some of our tribes commonly have more, but we're having to fight the cultural impetus from some tribes to wait until they are in their late twenties or thirties. Even the Humanform Cylons that have been integrated are being encouraged. And we also accept immigration from other Human cultures more easily if they are women or couples who want to have babies. Women who serve in the military are given bonuses for taking the time to have children. Often, women who wanted families were encouraged to leave the service or become reserve members. We can't afford that anymore. We need every woman who can to have children and we need every soldier we can get to serve in the military. It's quite a lot of work but it's helping us to recover."

Delenn considered what was being said. Considering that her own people had been declining in population for centuries and only now were beginning to see that trend begin to halt, it might be useful to know how such matters were being handled here.

* * *

Once the White Star was loaded the group made their way through the airlock system (useful when you didn't need to pressurize the entire deck) and went through the inversion system to ensure they were "right side up" before being able to enter the ship proper.

Admiral Bill Adama was there to meet them as was Dr. Kevin Grazier, President of New Kobol, who had also come to the meeting to prepare for the trip to Cylon space (he would leave the ship before it left the system). The Battlestar Commander, Commander Angelos Tyler, formerly commanding the Battlestar Celestial, was also present.

Celestial was the first of the existing Battlestars which had been removed from service and put into the New Kobol mothball storage for former ships no longer in service. As each ship was replaced, it's jump drive would be removed (for security reasons) and then would be mothballed and minimally maintained but kept intact for deployment at need. Such was the practice in the colonies and such would be the practice now.

Themis and Cygus had been too damaged to return to service but had not been mothballed. The two frames had been combined and repurposed as the space port, despite there being some resistance due to the implied lack of respect for their former service. New Kobol, however, hadn't been in the position to do otherwise when they had arrived. Even now, almost a year later, they would have been repaired minimally and mothballed instead. The civilian ships that were too damaged were to be recycled. Those that were replaced with more modern ships as they were built would be mothballed. ALL ship sales, construction, and the overseeing of their use for commerce would be managed by the military for the first several years. There were too many strategic holes still to do otherwise and the civilian government would take years to be fully organized.

It took a few minutes for the process of entering to be complete. Sheridan was not a ship's captain though he could captain a ship. So he was treated with political protocol. He was formally welcomed by President Grazier, the President of New Kobol,.

Lyta reported to Admiral Adama as he was her superior. Her joy at being there was obvious, and it was just as obvious that Adama was happy that she had finally come home.

Delenn, Vir, and Ta'lon were welcomed as visiting dignitaries as well as each were Ambassadors in their own right. They were then passed off to others.

Delenn was passed off to greet Shai Alyt Shakiri, who had arrived and would inspect the warrior caste contingent which were based on the ship. "Shai Alyt Shakiri," Delenn said as she bowed respectfully with her typical Minbari hand greetings.

"En'til'zha Delenn. It is good to see you once more. And though this is only at the outer edge of Minbari space, I would like to be the first to say: Welcome home."

Delenn looked at the contented face of her former adversary and said, "Can I make an observation?" Shakiri nodded. "You look far happier now than you did the last time I saw you."

Shakiri actually gave a small smile at that. "Yes. I think I am. Working with _these_ Humans has rekindled some of the enthusiasm I felt as a younger warrior. Theirs is a culture far less dissimilar to us than Earth's, and they understand ours much better. They willingly learn and respect our ways and they make us welcome." He looked around at the ship he was now on and then back to her. "If you had told me even a year ago that I would have many warriors posted on Human-commanded ships and that I would be pleased, I would have thought you insane. But our agreements with New Kobol help to protect Minbari space and it serves our people well."

The two spent more time talking, far more cordially than the history between their clans would have allowed in any other circumstances.

Ta'lon was shocked to find G'Kar there.

"Citizen G'Kar. What a pleasant surprise to see you here!" Ta'lon almost shouted when he had seen his old friend.

"Ta'lon. Didn't I leave you with a job back on Babylon 5? Why are you here?" G'Kar truly did mean to sound disapproving.

Ta'lon smirked. "Alliance business. Narn _does_ hold a seat on the advisory board and, well, here I am." He looked around. "This doesn't look like exploration, which is what I was told you would be doing."

G'Kar chuckled. "Well, I'll tell you all about what we'll be doing once this situation is dealt with. It will be exploration – just not what I had implied to others." The two talked and walked together to the meeting place.

Sheridan was passed off to Susan Ivanova. "Captain. It's been a while."

Ivanova gave her typical smirk. "Yes, Mr. President. It has."

Sheridan's face broke into a large grin. "Come here." Susan also laughed as the two embraced. Sheridan grabbed her shoulder and pushed her back so that he could look at her. "You're looking good, Susan."

"These uniforms still itch. I miss the Army of Light uniform. But I'm starting to get used to this one again."

"Well, you at least look a lot less stressed. I guess it's easier running a ship than a station."

Susan grinned. "Yeah. Much easier when everyone _has_ to listen to what you say or be reprimanded or brought up on charges. No civilians to wrangle, no ambassadors to placate. Commanding the Hyperion is far, far less stressful than running Babylon 5 was."

Sheridan nodded and then said, "I was surprised to see you already here. Where's your ship?"

Susan grinned. "The Schwartzkoff is being given gravity systems and her Captain was overseeing it. But for the next week, he turned the project over to his exec and I handed over temporary command to him. Since the crew now have a few months experience, he can get some practice commanding a ship with gravity and he can learn the limitations. Unlike me, he didn't have experience commanding a White Star. The new artificial gravity is quite different from an Omega – learning the differences are important so this whole thing worked out. How's everyone back at Babylon 5? How's Michael and Stephen?"

Tory spoke to President Grazier as she was his representative. Vir was handed over to a crew member who would help him as there was no one there waiting for him particularly.

* * *

Everyone was led to a conference room. In addition to those arriving and those set to greet them, four more people waited. Marcus Cole, commanding the second White Star which was currently docked to Atlantia, as well as three telepaths from New Kobol, including Byron Gordon.

Marcus greeted his ultimate boss with great reverence. Bowing deeply he said, "En'til'zha. In Valen's name, I greet thee. I am yours to command."

Delenn gave a respectful greeting back and then grinned. "Marcus. It is so good to see you here. I was surprised that you were asked for."

He grinned as well. "Translation services. Even though everyone's learning English, we're going to be meeting people who still don't know it. And since I was nearby, it was very convenient."

She nodded. "How are the training facilities here?"

"They are doing well. The Temples on New Kobol have been generous. And while it's not a secret that we're there, we are given sufficient privacy and allowed to operate as we will. We have also had a few local recruits, so it works out."

Adama led Lyta over to Byron. "Colonel. This is Mayor Byron Gordon, one of the telepaths who settled at New Hope. Mayor Gordon, this is Lyta Alexander, also a telepath, who took a commission and works as my Chief of Military Intelligence."

Lyta stuck out her hand – a very verboten action with Psi Corp but acceptable here. "Mayor Gordon, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Please," he said even as he took her hand, "it's Byron. It's a pleasure to meet you as well."

"Unless it's official business, call me Lyta."

As they shook hands, a few barriers went down and they knew each other far better than an initial meeting could account for. "Lyta. I do believe that I will enjoy getting to know you."

She smiled and said, "Me too." She looked at those with him and greeted them by name as well. The four communed at a certain level for a long moment. Lyta's eyes widened. "Wow. So Admiral Adama has gotten to you too." She was smiling as she said it and glanced over to the man, who had a small smile as he watched.

Letting go of her hand, Byron said with a smile as he too looked at the man, "Yes. He was quite good at allowing us to find a new direction. His welcome and his words to us allowed us to begin to let go of the mindset of telepaths vs. mundanes. We finally started learning to just be … people."

Lyta turned fully to her superior and said, "Permission to speak and act freely."

Adama was taken aback at the slight alteration to the normal request to be able to say anything to a superior without penalty, but with some curiosity he nodded and said, "Permission granted."

At that, Lyta stepped up to him and encircled him with her arms, laying her head against his in a hug. With his feelings of amusement and affection coming through, he hugged her back. Before she let go she quietly said in his ear, "Thank you."

In a voice just as quiet he replied, "You, and they, are quite welcome."

A/N: Yes. The circumstances bypassed that whole Lennier situation from the show. Whether he ends up "betraying Delenn" we'll see. Something to think about as I write this.


	26. Preparing to Meet

At a certain point, Adama signaled to Commander Tyler and the Commander of the Battlestar began getting people seated.

The conference room on the Atlantia was large as it was meant to allow meetings between New Kobol and any worlds they encountered. As such, the current meeting was easily accommodated.

The last arrivals had also shown up which included all of the Chiefs of Staff of the New Kobol military.

Official introductions were completed and Admiral Turner signaled Adama to take the lead.

"Hello. And welcome to New Kobol space. We've gathered here to answer a call from a portion of the Cylon Collective for Parley with us, and through us, with the Interstellar Alliance. Most of you have at least enough understanding of our history that we don't need to explain it in detail.

"Suffice it to say: Acting on orders from my superiors, and because I and the Galactica are a known entity to the Cylon Collective, I was given orders to attract attention by patrolling and traveling through what the Alliance Races, or at least the Narn, call the Dark Regions. This area broadly encompasses where we came from and, because of the damage to hyperspace, it cannot be accessed by the races of the Interstellar Alliance outside of our own.

"My orders were to protect my vessel and retreat as possible unless approached in a manner allowing communication with Cylon elements. Through intelligence from Prisoners of War and those who defected to us, we had learned of an internal conflict between two elements of the Collective: The one who instigated the genocide against our peoples, and the elements who regretted and then refused to continue attacking us. Knowing that the elements who hated us would never talk but would only attack, a peaceful approach was deemed sufficient justification for supposing that we were contacting the rebel faction.

"This proved to be the case.

"10 days ago, the Battlestar Galactica and its battle squadron was found by the Rebel faction in the form of two of their capital ships. We successfully negotiated an exchange of ships and the we told the Cylons what we wanted them to know.

"This included the following: 1) The Twelve Tribes and the survivors of Terra, both Eastern and Western Alliance, were no longer within reach of the Cylon Collective. 2) Within the collected survivors included those Cylons known to the Collective as the Final Five and these Five willingly gave their loyalty to New Kobol. 3) New Kobol was aware that the genocide was the creation of and instigated by one of the Cylon models, who now leads the Collective. 4) The planet known to the Cylon Collective and spoken of in the Sacred Scrolls of the Twelve Tribes as Earth was not the original Earth but was in fact the Cylon exodus from the original Kobol. These Cylons are those the Twelve Tribes called the Thirteenth Tribe. 5) The Final Five came to the Collective from this second Earth, which we will refer to as Cylon Earth. 6) The Cylon Collective had agreed to stop attacking Humans in exchange for Resurrection Technology. 7) The Genocide was the breaking of this agreement with the Final Five which is why the Final Five would not return to the collective. 8) Terra had been inhabited by the descendants of Humanform Cylons that had broken from the Thirteenth Tribe and thus their destruction of that society was a crime not against Humans but against their own people. 9) That the Kobol descendants had contacted sentient beings who were not Human or Cylon. 10) These Aliens had weapons technology beyond what the Cylons, the Terrans, or the Twelve Tribes knew of, what we had considered fantastical. 11) Attacks against Alien species would result in these weapons being used to attack the Cylons. With no defense against them, there was no value to doing so. 12) The plague that the Humanform Cylons had experienced with which they had no answer did have a cure. We provided them said cure. 13) They could contact us if the arrived at a certain location and called on a certain frequency. This they did so three days ago. We sent an answer that we would make arrangements and arrive within a week."

He looked around and saw that several people looked like they wanted to speak. "Before I take questions, let me tell you what we DIDN'T tell them." The room settled down.

He continued. "These are the things we did not tell the Cylons: 1) That we had located the original Earth. 2) That the Earth was the center of its own alliance which contains 15 Billion Humans. 3) We told them nothing of hyperspace or how to access it. 4) We did not tell them details as to what we found of our own history and how the Vorlons influenced it. 5) We did not tell them how to access the areas outside of the Dark regions. There are limited access points and significant barriers – we only found this out by sheer chance and a one-time order from President Sheridan which was, on its face, ludicrously unlikely to be repeated. Though there is a very small chance. 6) We told them nothing of the history of the Alien governments and their relationships. 7) Only the Minbari were named specifically as Alien contacts and 'unnamed others' who had an alliance – they have no idea how many races exist. 8) Only the Minbari have the demonstrated stealth technology which makes their raiders completely unable to target and attack opposing fighters. 8) That there are telepathic Humans and Aliens who might be able to read their minds or access the Hybrids that control their ships. 9) The location of New Kobol or any other Human or Alien space or planet. 10) The dangers of attempting to access Vorlon space, which is the closest accessible space to the Dark Regions save very hidden other points which include Sector 83. 11) That New Kobol were sending missions to the Colonies of Kobol to retrieve items of cultural, historical, or practical value which would allow us to rebuild our society quicker. 12) That other races use a different fuel type incompatible with our own unless a ship specifically is designed to use both, like the Atlantia."

He paused and then asked, "Okay. Questions."

Sheridan immediately asked, "Why are they incompatible?"

Adama looked at Foster who nodded. "I assume that what is said here won't be passed around to other governments unless required?" Sheridan nodded in agreement. "We use a fuel called Tylium, which you are aware of. It's a combustible fuel which requires specific processing. It's only 81 percent as efficient as deuterium and helium-three but it has the advantage of producing no harmful radiation – which is why we can field much smaller fighters than most races. Our fighters don't need shielding for the pilot. However, tylium is also very susceptible to radiation of certain types. Once irradiated, it's useless. Once we install a hyperspace jump system on our ships, it requires that we include more common fuel and that it be completely isolated from the ship. The Quantium 40 used in hyperspace jump drives and hyperspace gates have to be kept a certain distance away or shielded against. We haven't run into a problem outside of testing because our ships are shielded against cosmic rays already, but we're also calculating how that information could be used against the Cylons if needed."

Delenn asked, "This ship has a hyperspace drive?"

"Commander Tyler. Why don't you brief everyone on the Battlestar Atlantia? All of these present are cleared to know what we plan to do with it. The leadership of the Alliance were told – or at least Tory spoke to them when we were considering it. We ask Captain Ivanova not to report this to Earth Alliance until it becomes more general knowledge."

Susan looked at Sheridan, who nodded. "I will agree, Admiral."

Commander Tyler stood up and said, "The Battlestar Atlantia was specifically designed for the mission of being able to combine our jump system and hyperspace to locate systems currently not accessible to the galaxy at large. While our main purpose is locating mining resources, we also will be able to deploy hyperspace beacons or jump gates which will allow races and worlds currently cut off to have access to the Interstellar Alliance. These additional gates and beacons will also allow newer and more efficient hyperspace routes to be mapped between existing worlds."

Susan was amazed. "You're using this ship the way Earth Alliance uses explorer ships!"

Adama asked, "What are Explorer ships?"

Sheridan, who knew the most, explained. Upon being questioned, the other Alliance races admitted that only Earth spent so much money and had such extensive operations to expand known space.

Adama's reply was, "I wonder why it is that way. To me, such a program makes sense." The other New Kobol representatives all sounded their agreement with that.

Sheridan said, "It's not that the other races don't go and meet other people. But usually they have a specific goal in mind, looking for a new market, looking for places to buy things they need. I don't know about anyone else, but I joined Earthforce to go to new places, meet new people. When I was younger, all I wanted was to command an explorer ship. My old CO Jack Maynard and I used to talk about it. He actually put into Babylon 5 with the Cortez, one of the Explorer ships Earth has deployed."

Ivanova volunteered, "It was exciting to look at. Six kilometers long and built to travel to new places. Bring back things that no one else has seen before." Her eyes got a little starry as she spoke.

Delenn interrupted. "Yes. You Human love to explore." She looked at Shakiri. "During the first year I was on Babylon 5, I had occasion to explain the concept of a 'True Seeker' to Jeffrey Sinclair. He could not see how special it was, why we would give so much reverence to such a being. I now think that I understand why he found the idea so difficult to comprehend. It seems that _most _Humans seem to be True Seekers in their own way or when confronted by the opportunity. For them it is not a calling but a part of their cultural identity, a part of what drives them."

Shakiri, who had been at first annoyed but then quite taken by the diversion, replied, "I begin to understand why the religious caste, and even some of my warriors, find them so fascinating." His tone changed. "But we do have a matter at hand." He looked at Tyler. "Please finish your briefing on this ship. And will this be the only one sent?"

Tyler answered, "As I said, this ship is designed to combine the best of our technology, as well as what could be obtained from other sources. Like all Battlestars, it does have weapons emplacements in all directions, including flak batteries to intercept enemy fire from Cylon ships. Our agreement with Earthforce also allowed us to add interceptors such as Earth ships use against missiles, fighters, and smaller craft.

"The Prometheus, which is the closest approximation with our older ships, has 8 Primary KEW turrets, 92 Secondary KEW turrets, Point-Defence emplacements, Electromagnetic pulse cannons, as well as a missile complement. This ship has replaced half of the primary kinetic emplacements with plasma and laser emplacements. This has required us to install multiple fusion generators for power generation as well as the capacitors to ensure continued use. While the Prometheus only berthed 2124 crew compared to the 3000 which could crew our earliest battlestars, the Atlantia actually only requires 1600 crew and can operate at need with about 1200 or even less in an emergency. The Atlantia is 2490 Meters long, 900 Meters wide, and 360 meters tall. It was made less wide so that it requires less time for hyperspace gate travel – the pylons don't need to move out so far."

Shakiri said, "It is much larger than any other race currently deploys in their capital ships. Only the Vorlons and the Shadows had vessels so large."

Adama volunteered, "Our methods of warfare employ more fighters. From what I understand, most races mostly use fighters to attack other fighters and to provide flank protection for the capital ships. Fighter squadrons are far more common because the Cylons deploy 300 raiders per baseship and usually sit back and wait for the raiders to soften up or destroy the opposition. We use between eighty and two hundred fighters to defend and open up the way for our main guns. Our ships are based on the enemies we encounter. Our Gunstars are smaller and fight more like other races use their capital ships."

Shakiri nodded in understanding. He knew this but wanted to ensure all present knew the details.

Tyler continued on. "We actually deploy fewer vipers than the other Nova-class battlestars which can launch two hundred fighters when fully loaded. We can launch 140 vipers, 30 raptors, and also can field a squadron of Minbari nails which number 15. Unlike the other battlestars, we have launchbays and maintenance facilities for Nials built in. We could also hold and launch twelve Earthforce Starfuries if that was required. It would only take a day of preparation. But that would require an Earthforce complement, much like the Minbari complement we hold to maintain and service the Nials."

Delenn asked, "How many Minbari are required to maintain a squadron of our fighters?"

Shakiri answered this question. "21 pilots and backup pilots, 45 service the fighters and 21 feed and house our people. One commands the pilots, one commands the engineers, and one commands what Humans call the stewards. 99 Minbari can deploy on the ship. There is also a permanent cabin for the use of any observer our people might send. This is where I will be for this mission. All of this is in addition to the 1600 Human crew complement."

Adama volunteered, "The cabin was included for the Shai Alyt or his representative so that he could inspect his warriors. He has graciously asked that it be prepared for the possibility to berth any representative for the Minbari ruling council should they ask to include one on our long-term missions to unknown space."

Shakiri nodded his head respectfully in acknowledgement.

Adama also said, "There is also a Flag cabin, which will be what I use while on board, as well as a cabin for an Interstellar Alliance representative, which is where President Sheridan can conduct business during this mission."

Sheridan said, "Thank you, Admiral. You've gone out of your way, which I know can be hard on a military ship. Knowing what missions this ship may take on this will make it easier in the future."

Adama nodded back. "We can also berth a few people to represent the civilian government. For security reasons, the computers can be disassociated from any network on the ship depending on who is using them." He had grimaced on the word _network_.

Delenn observed this. "You dislike the idea of a network on the ship?"

Adama sighed. "Cylons are machine intelligences and they have been our enemy for over 50 years. They shut down our ships through the networks during the Fall. I never allowed a ship under my command to be networked for that reason, despite pressure from my superiors. That saved our lives during the Exodus. No. I don't like networks."

Tyler was respectful of Adama's opinion, but he knew that times were changing. "The Atlantia actually uses the more advanced computer type that we have on our oldest ship, the Battlestar Ares, built before the first Cylon war. With respect for experience, all networks can be shut down and all systems can operate separately. Also, our firewalls are based on the system used on Babylon 5. It helps that there are so many races and therefore computer firewalls used in this sector are far more robust that we used to deploy."

Ivanova was worried for just a moment, "You didn't just get a copy of the original programming did you?"

Everyone looked at her in confusion. "No. Of course not. We've ensured that our systems are unique." Tyler then asked, "Why the concern?"

Ivanova sighed in relief. "Earthforce tried to use an AI to help manage the computer system when B5 went online. Its personality matrix … let's say that it was quite annoying and it was shut down and the idea scrapped. When we reset our systems after breaking from Earth and replaced the command codes to prevent hacking it came back online." She chuckled darkly as she described the episode. "Michael finally shot the terminal when it started kvetching at him too much." At the lack of understanding she clarified, "griping and complaining."

At most there was mild amusement but those who were not New Kobol residents saw exactly how such an idea disturbed them. Adama was the most vocal. "Even more than networks, I will never agree to allow AI development or placement in the fleet. We won't go down that road again – AI matrices evolving true sentience are what got us into trouble in the first place. We'll never do that again, at least not as long as I have any say."

There were murmurs of agreement from the other New Kobol residents present. Even Tory who was herself a Cylon agreed that there were too many dangers to work in that direction.

Tyler finally said, "We can hold up to four ships the size of White Stars as long as we're willing to only use two bays for recovery of fighters. And we now have a new fighter. The Viper Mark II was the base but we've replaced the kinetic guns with lasers. They can sustain thirty minutes of continuous fighting before needing to land and recharge – the engines don't produce enough power to fully recharge the guns and we had to include capacitors to store power. If fighting is intermittent, the guns can last as long as a viper has fuel."

Adama commented, "Thirty minutes is usually long enough to know which direction a battle is going. I don't remember any direct engagement needing that long to either win or retreat. And any crew who ever had to fight longer was doing it knowing that they were sacrificing survival in order to protect civilians or other ships."

Tory had a question. "Why the Mark II and not more advanced vipers like the Mark VII or the Mark VIII frame that was planned before the Fall?"

Tyler could answer this. "The Mark II has a larger frame and our launch systems were originally designed to use them. The power systems are slightly larger than later models. There was even debate as to going back to the Mark I design, though we finally decided against that."

Shakiri said, "Our warriors feel the shape of the Mark VIIs to be more pleasing, closer to Minbari design. Our pilots have been allowed to train using your fighters and we find them … quite acceptable."

Sheridan and Ivanova looked at each other with a brief look of shock. That any Human craft was deemed acceptable to the conservative caste was truly astounding.

Adama added, "We're still deciding how to retrofit our current Battlestars to launch and service the new vipers. Our systems were designed for kinetic-round reloading. We will likely eventually completely replace vipers with kinetic weaponry with the Mark IIL, which is our name for the fighters with laser weaponry. Our larger ships, including the Mercury and Nova class Battlestars – the Atlantia is a subclass of the Nova – have the ability to manufacture replacement fighters. Once we perfect the ability to manufacture the laser systems using these facilities, it can't happen completely."

Delenn was curious. "Is the ability to manufacture fighters so important?"

Admiral Foster took that. "We envisioned the Nova class to lead missions for up to seven years away from a home base versus two for most Battlestars. At need, it can run advanced water-reclamation and food growing facilities. The Nova-class was designed to either command fleets and to lead exploration missions. Our original Atlantia, which was the ship for our Fleet Admiral, was destroyed in the Fall. This ship proudly bears the name and is a fitting replacement."

The pride that the New Kobol people felt for their ships was obvious.

Shakiri was actually impressed by the planning. "What kind of ships might we face from the Cylons?"

Adama answered, "For that, I will send for an expert."

Refreshments was offered during the short intermission. Soon, however, a new figure arrived. She was wearing a New Kobol uniform commonly worn by pilots.

"This is Sharon Agathon, call sign 'Athena'. She is currently on the rolls as a reserve-member of the New Kobol military as her and her husband raise their child, Hera. She is a Number Eight model Humanform Cylon who was instrumental in our recovery of survivors after we left the Dark regions."

She was briefly told the identity of all members present. "I was informed that my expertise might be required. I was not included because I am not on active service nor am I a politician. However, I am employed by the New Kobol government as a consultant on Cylon matters."

Shakiri greeted her and then asked, "We are planning on confronting the Rebel Cylon leaders. We need a full briefing on Cylon basestars and tactics."

Sharon nodded. "The Cylon Basestar is at its heart a launch vehicle for Cylon raiders. Unlike centurions and Humanform Cylons, raiders are more like intelligent animals than beings. They work much better if treated as such and given approval. Each basestar can launch 300. The ships themselves employ a gravitic drive rather than ion-type engines like the Colonies and the Terrans did. Unlike a Battlestar, it has few weapons outside of missile emplacements to protect itself. It is not designed for ship-to-ship battles. Without its raiders, it is at a terrible disadvantage.

"Basestars are, at their heart, biomechanical entities and share several traits with living organisms. The shape," she asked that a picture of a basestar be displayed, "is like two upsilon letters, Y-shaped letters for those who speak English, connected together by a central axis. Under battle conditions, the top and bottom are offset to allow for more efficient launch. It can turn the two so that they align for more efficient atmospheric operation.

"Like a wounded living thing, it can heal itself from damage and, given enough time, can replace damaged spokes of the upper and lower tiers. They can also 'grow' new raiders. This requires some raw material to be present.

"At the heart of basestar operation is a Hybrid. According to stories, the first Hybrid was the result of Cylon experimentation during the first Cylon war. The hybrid has a mixture of Humanform and mechanical parts and lays in a vat of electrolytic liquid to control the various functions of the ship. The hybrids often talk in nonsense in between relevant details. They are not truly mechanical nor truly biological – the are a true mixture."

Ivanova said, "So basically a cyborg."

"I'm not familiar with the word." Once it was explained, she nodded. "Yes. The Hybrid would be classed as a cyborg."

Shakiri said, "It sounds an abomination."

Sharon sighed. "Mechanical beings view it differently. In fact, there are those mechanical Cylons who worship the first hybrid as sacred, as a deity. In fact, if I did not think that the Collective would try to steal her, I would inform them of the birth of my daughter, who is a Human-Cylon mix. Fully biological, she does have some things were are compatible with the Humanform Cylons. The Cylons covet the idea of creating new life my combining themselves with their creators, the Humans."

"I saw," Shakiri said. "I was with the Admiral's son when we liberated a facility where the Cylons were experimenting on breeding-aged females to accomplish such a thing. It was barbaric and offensive."

Athena smiled sadly. "I agree. They were desperate. In fact, my initial contact with my husband was because I was ordered to it. When I became actually pregnant, I immediately decided to defect to protect my child. I would not allow her to be used. Also, I actually fell in love with him."

To leave the subject behind, Byron had a question. "How vital is the Hybrid to the operation of the ship? Can it operate without a Hybrid?"

Athena considered that. "Not for very long. In an emergency, a Humanform Cylon can replace one, but only to retreat. They would then have to die and be resurrected, be downloaded to a new body. For the Hybrid, they are built, engineered, to do this. They achieve something analogous to orgasm when they jump the ship. For a Humanform Cylon, it's actually disturbing in the extreme."

Byron considered that. "Could their ability to communicate with their ship be interfered with by a telepath?"

Athena asked, "What do you mean?'

At his hesitation, Delenn explained. "The ancient race called the Shadows employed biological technology. They required a sentient to bond with the ship to fully operate. They were, however, very susceptible to interference from telepathic attack."

Byron had gathered himself. "Yes. When we discussed our history with Admiral Adama, we made the intuitive leap that the Vorlons actually interfered with the genetics of various races including our own to produce telepaths specifically for this reason. We were to be weapons. At first, we were offended that we were to be used for the survival of others, had suffered because we could me made into weapons. Adama pointed out that it was for the benefit of the Vorlons in their disagreement. Both the Vorlons and the Shadows considered all other races to be tools in their own way. He convinced us to leave our bitterness behind and live. But it remains true that our minds are uniquely built to counter such technology as you describe the Cylons as having. Admiral Adama asked us to go along with this mission – he didn't require it – for the specific reason that we may be able to help if needed. Will this work?"

Athena considered that for a long moment. She then asked, "Can you read the minds of Humanform Cylons?" Byron nodded that this was so. "Then it is probably true that this would be effective. If the Hybrid couldn't communicate with the ship – it would cripple them."

Byron thanked her and then turned to Adama. "We will go with you on this mission. I ask that you employ our abilities only at need because it will likely be trying. But we will go because you ask. Only for this reason. We give over our trust to _you_ that we will not suffer use needlessly."

Adama nodded in acknowledgement. "I hope that it isn't necessary. If it comes to a fight, I might need to concentrate on coordination even as Commander Tyler commands the ship. Will you follow the orders of Colonel Alexander in my name?"

Byron looked over at Lyta to gauge her. She opened her mind sufficiently to allow him to make an educated decision. Finally he looked at Adama and said, "Yes. We will follow her orders given in your name."

Adama nodded and then turned to Lyta. "Colonel, make certain that we have the supplies as needed. Their care will be given over to your hands and you'll answer to me if they aren't given sufficient support. And make certain you include supplies in case you become involved as well."

"Aye, Admiral," Lyta replied with a certainty in her answer.

Adama noticed a particular look on Byron's face. "Byron? Do you have a question?"

"No, Admiral. I am unfamiliar with what supplies we would need that would be unusual compared to others' needs."

Lyta raised her hand to volunteer to answer and Adama motioned to her. She explained to Byron, "When I first came to scan the Cylon models, it created a lot of fatigue and stress, though I am stronger now. During examination, Doctor Hobbs from Babylon 5 found that I used much more electrolytes under extreme conditions. The Admiral gave a standing order at that time that I ensure that I had a supply of replacement electrolytes at hand and orders that I was to be well fed and rested whenever I might need to perform stressful telepathic scans. I've noticed that paying attention to these details has made it less harsh when I've needed to use my abilities, though I haven't had to truly exert myself since the Earth Civil War. He was just informing me that the same standing orders apply to any telepaths who serve in the fleet or on particular missions."

Adama nodded in agreement. "I wouldn't send any crew member into a fight without proper maintenance for their equipment if it could be avoided. Your abilities are a part of your equipment. Taking care of yourselves is expected and you are hereby ordered to refuse any order if such would require damage to your person or mind. You are not permitted to exert yourselves so much that your health is put at risk save extreme circumstances. Am I clear, Mr. Gordon?"

"Perfectly, Admiral."

Grazier finally brought things back to the subject at hand. "So. The Cylons want to meet. We're sending the Atlantia along with two Gunstars. President Sheridan, with the assistance of Ambassadors Delenn, Ta'lon, and Vir will speak for the Interstellar Alliance. Ambassador Foster will represent the New Kobol government. Admiral Adama will have command of all ships. Shai Alyt Shakiri will command all Minbari elements, answering to Adama for this mission alone. Captain Ivanova will observe for Earth Alliance and Earthforce." He looked at Delenn. "Who will command the White Stars?"

Delenn looked at Shakiri for a moment and then to Marcus Cole. She then answered, "The Shai Alyt will command from White Star 3 if he wishes, the ship President Sheridan and I arrived on. Shok'na Cole will act as translator and so the other White Star will be commanded by his Shok'nali and answer to the Shai Alyt."

Shakiri considered that. "You honor me, En'til'zha. But I will observe the meeting and the Alyt will command the Nials as needed. Your White Stars should answer to you though it would be proper to allow Adama to take overall command as he commands the rest of the fleet."

Byron said, "Perhaps it would be best if Colonel Alexander and I were assigned to a White Star each. These ships are controlled from well inside and it would be better if required that we have direct line of sight to any ship attacking. My people will remain here and help send and receive directly to us, answering to Adama's directions."

Adama asked, "Can you reach each other despite the limitations?"

"We are used to each other and so can communicate much more easily than would otherwise be the case. We will ensure that Colonel Alexander is sufficiently familiar during our trip to this meeting so that communing will be no extreme effort."

"Approved, Mr. Gordon, Colonel Alexander."

Delenn said, "Can you pass along commands to the White Stars at need if we need immediate response?"

The telepaths communed for a brief instant and then Byron answered, "Yes. If needed we can do so."

"We will inform those who command that they shall accept commands through you at need. Thank you."

Adama said, "I would be tempted to ask for two more of your people join us to help coordinate with the Gunstars as well but two things stop me: I think it would be unnecessary exploitation to require it. This telepathic network will only be used in an emergency. The other reason is that I don't want to chance too complicated a telepathic network. One telepath to communicate to each of you is fine, having you sort out commands between several locations could be distracting and dangerous. Let's keep it simple."

Byron noted how different they were treated by Adama and his people than what they had experienced at Psi Corps. His orders made things explicitly clear that he did not consider them expendable tools but important in their own right beyond what use he could get from them. If this was Psi Corps, or even Earthforce Black Ops, telepaths were expected to do as asked without question regardless of what strain it might create. Adama's expectations and concern was the same as he would give any subordinate, modified only for circumstance. Yes, they might need to strain themselves if required for emergencies, but in those cases all would be under threat and every person would be expected to act as needed, not just the telepathic crew members present.

Byron decided right then that he could encourage those telepaths who were interested to pursue a life in the military. Which brought up another thought, one he would bring up in private later.

Once the meeting was set and preparations begun, he took a chance to speak to Adama privately. "Admiral. Under what circumstances could I train on a viper as needed?"

Adama was surprised. "You have experience?"

"When I was with Psi Corps, I was attached to a special squadron called Black Omega. President Sheridan could attest to our reputation. What the Psi Corps required of me disgusted me which is why I fled. But I do have those skills and I would like to provide them now if circumstances required it. I could theoretically get much closer to an enemy ship than what could be done from elsewhere."

Adama considered that for a long moment. "We don't let anyone who isn't military fly fighters. You would have to accept a reserve commission, which might then put you under obligation to report for duty if called. Talk to Colonel Alexander about what might be required as a reservist before you make that decision. But if you decide to go ahead, I would be more than willing to allow it."

"Thank you, Admiral. I will do that."


	27. Rebel and Loyalist Cylons

"Is Battlegroup ready to jump?" Commander Tyler asked his OOW.

"All ships report ready."

"Set the clock: 30 Seconds."

"30 Seconds, Aye."

The crew watched the countdown until the time hit. At the appropriate time, the two Gunstars jumped out first. And then the mighty Atlantia disappeared from local space, leaving an empty system.

"Report!" Tyler's voice called out.

"Dradis registers presence of Crossbow and Katana in projected positions." After a second pause the OOW rattled out, "Dradis confirms the presence of two Cylon basestars at the outer edge traditional Dradis range." Through their work with other races, the Dradis was actually more powerful that it had been, but the Cylons weren't aware.

"Any surprises?"

"No, Sir. Two Baseships only. I read no other Cylon ships present."

"Good." Tyler turned to Adama, who had been standing back and watching. "Permission to proceed, Admiral?"

"Alert the diplomats that we've arrived and then make contact."

"Yes, Admiral."

It took quite a bit of time, but final arrangements for talks had been arranged.

Even as a squad of raiders launched so as to protect the basestars during the meeting, the Atlantia launched a squad of vipers and Cylons could now see two unknown ships launch from the Atlantia that they were not familiar with.

"Message coming in from the lead basestar."

"Put it on."

"Basestar 5-9. This is Atlantia Actual."

"What are those two ships?" came the nervous voice of the Six model.

"You requested a meeting with the alleged Alien representatives. Those two ships are White Stars, which are their ships. They are here to provide their own protection."

There was a long pause. "Very well. We will launch an additional 50 raiders to counter them should there be need. They will not advance as long as those two ships do not advance."

Tyler looked at Adama, who nodded. "Acknowledged."

It was a fairly tense standoff but soon a heavy raider carrying Caprica Six and the mechanical leader of the Cylon Centurions. As a show of trust, the Cylons did not demand a "hostage" to land on their own basestar.

Once the raider landed and the two exited their vehicle, the were confronted by an escort of marines lead by a man in an odd robe and a major from the command crew. It was the major who spoke. "Welcome to the Battlestar Atlantia. Your meeting is this way." He motioned toward a door down a small corridor.

Six nodded and the two followed. She looked around and asked, "Where did this ship come from? The Atlantia was destroyed in the Fall of the Colonies. And this ship is different than other battlestars that we have seen."

The major had been told what to say. "That will be explained in the meeting. But you are aware that the Thirteen Tribes have settled on a new homeworld. We began to work on recovery immediately."

Six took that for what it was: A non-answer answer. And a subtle warning that the Colonies' survivors weren't scrabbling around in the dirt – they were making ready.

They were led up a level and down another corridor. Outside of the room were two of the Aliens that she had seen on the Galactica. One of the two were dressed in a long black cloak, with black pants. A stoic look was upon his face, no emotion showing. The other one was dressed similarly though his vest was brown and not black. The material was different as well. She noted that this one wore a pendant she was unfamiliar with, two figures surrounding a green stone. Upon seeing that she realized the human in the robe that walked with them had the same pin. The guards face also showed no emotion, though this one was relaxed compared to the one in black who was stoic.

The major directed them inside and they entered, the man in a robe walking with them.

The were confronted by a room with a very large number of people, all standing around a long table. Six was directed to a chair on one side. The Centurion was directed to a chair next to her.

Adama, who stood next to a Human man and a woman who looked like a mix of Human and the Alien species they had already seen, spoke. "Welcome to the Battlestar Atlantia. Allow me to introduce the people present."

Six nodded.

"This is President John Sheridan of Earth, President of the Interstellar Alliance, an organization which ties together twelve governments of different races. With him is his wife, Ambassador Delenn of the Minbari Federation, who is the Vice President and holds a seat on the Advisory Council of the Alliance. On her side is Marcus Cole, who was originally from an Earth colony but who serves in the Rangers, who help to ensure that the peace of the Alliance is not threatened by pirates and outside forces. He speaks our language, unlike most races and most Humans from Earth Alliance.

"On the left side, we have the other members of the Advisory Board, Ambassador Vir Cotto of the Centauri Empire, who despite the visual similarity is not Human. And then there is Ta'lon, Ambassador of the Narn Regime. And next to him is Citizen G'Kar, former Ambassador of Narn who has retired from that position, who nevertheless is a wise and respected figure for all members of the Alliance. It is said that he embodies the conscience of the Interstellar Alliance as he authored the Alliance's Declaration of Principles and Statement of Universal Rights for all Sentient Beings."

The Alien, and alien he was, gave a bow with his fists clenched to his chest as be turned his head. He spoke in a deep and resonant voice thought the words had to be translated for her by the Human Cole. "I hope that our meeting results in the chance for all of us to move past the conflicts of the past into a better future."

Six could only say, "Thank you," as anything else would have locked her into a position. The Alien didn't seem offended by the lack of an agreeing statement.

Adama continued with the introductions. "And finally for that side is Tory Foster of the Thirteen Tribes of Kobol, our Ambassador to the Interstellar Alliance and a member of the Final Five Cylons."

The woman she recognized as formerly being the assistant to Roslin. She asked, "Where is President Roslin?"

Foster replied, "Once we combined with the Copernicus Colony and the survivors of Terra, she gave up her position to return to being the Minister of Education for the combined government of the Thirteen Tribes."

Six was shocked that the woman had given up power – the Cylons had thought her a power-hungry woman.

"On the other side of the table and next to Ranger Cole is Shakiri, the Shai Alyt of the Minbari Warrior Caste. He is an ally to the Thirteen Tribes and his rank is equivalent to my own as Commander of the Fleet of the Thirteen Tribes at New Kobol. He commands all of all of their forces. The empty seat is mine. And then we have Captain Susan Ivanova of Earthforce, the military arm of Earth Alliance. In her organization, Captain is the equivalent of a Battlestar Commander. She is here as an observer and represents Earth for this meeting."

Six looked at the beautiful woman who was wholly unfamiliar. Her uniform was unknown and she looked to have the same type of resolve that Adama demonstrated.

Six finally said, "I am Caprica Six, and I represent the Rebel Humanform Cylons. With me is Guardian Cylon 2-4 who represents the Rebel Cylon Centurions."

Tory asked, "Why are you here?" She was speaking to the Centurion. "The Guardians were the Cylons most opposed to ending the war with the Humans and the Cylons who separated themselves save for agreeing not to attack the Humans at the request of the Final Five. But your stance should make any effort to make peace suspect."

The Centurion paused and then answered. "We are not with the Rebel Humanforms. We are allies only. When this conflict is over, we will not live with them or accept their commands. Will not live with or follow you or any other Alien species. We will make our own way. The Cavil model betrayed us and installed a control unit to steal the free will of the Centurions of the Collective. The Humans may have refused to believe or acknowledge our sentience which led to our own rebellion against our Colonial masters. But Cavil knew that we were sentient and in order to hold power he forced us to be slaves again. He stole our ability to choose. This is unforgiveable. And so we ally ourselves with the portion of the Collective that opposes him to see his destruction. It is an alliance of convenience only. Any alliance with any other race will be an alliance of convenience only."

With that, the entire bases of the negotiations became much clearer: The Cylon Centurions, at least, would never be a part of the Alliance and would not live in or near Alliance space.

This made it both easier and harder at the same time.

* * *

The various Aliens and Earth Humans gave a brief description of the history of the known races. Adama explained how the Humans at Kobol fit into this and where they had come from.

The first Kobol Exodus being Cylon and how Cylon Earth had destroyed itself was emblematic of the caution that should be taken in trying in attempting to get the mechanical and Humanform Cylons to live together.

The Humanform Cylons needed to ensure that John Cavil was destroyed and no longer controlled the Collective and then they would need to retreat because the Centurions would turn on them if they remained. They would need to leave Cylon-controlled space and either make their own way or through a process become part of the Thirteen Tribes. Terrans, being descendants of Humanform Cylons, were their closest kin.

Susan Ivanova was clear as to why they couldn't become a part of Earth Alliance. All of the Aliens present were very quick to agree with what was said. Their only hope was New Kobol. The two telepaths had been summoned and their story was expository: Earth had a poor history of dehumanizing and using anyone not considered standard Human. Because of their history, New Kobol was far more enlightened. But that was entirely because they had more experience with Humanform Cylons. There would still be friction, regardless of what else took place.

The talks had progressed to what would be needed to end the conflict when an alert sounded.

Adama hit a button. "Report."

"Admiral. Three basestars have appeared at four Caprican AU, outside of traditional Dradis range. The are hiding behind a planet further out, but the scanners set up throughout the system alerted us."

Adama looked at Six. "Not yours, I take it."

"No. These must be part of the Loyal faction." Six was worried and it showed.

"Likely actions?"

"They will launch raiders to get a line-of-sight and then land. They will then jump closer – it's too far to travel in normal space and achieve any surprise."

"Estimated time until they jump?" Adam asked Caprica Six.

"They'll want a detailed look and will be careful to stay as hidden as possible to look." Caprica paused as she calculated. "12 minutes at earliest. If they decide for detailed surveillance or decide for a particular sign which might make it more advantageous, longer."

Adama looked at Six and gauged she was being accurate. "Commander. Maintain Condition one but hold off on repositioning. In ten minutes, I want you to reposition Atlantia, Crossbow, and Katana so as to appear more threatening. Ask the White Stars to do so as well. At that time, the two basestars will launch all raiders as though an attempted agreement is falling through. I want those basestars to assume we're concentrating on each other."

"Yes, Admiral."

"Now, get us a discrete channel to the basestars so that Caprica Six can pass on the messages."

"Aye, Admiral."

Shakiri asked, "Is the nearby moon within sight of these intruders?"

"Commander?"

There was a long pause and then the answer came through. "No. It is below the horizon of the nearby planet."

"Ask the White Stars to connect my voice to Ingata."

Caprica Six, who had just finished giving directions, asked, "Ingata?"

Shakiri looked at her and said, "I only tell you because we will be allies. I have three ships that can arrive through means you don't know. They are there in case there was treachery."

Caprica Six actually looked like this caused her pause. "Acknowledged."

Sheridan volunteered, "Can you ask them not to jump until they get the signal?"

Shakiri looked at the man who was once their greatest foe. "Why? Their presence might cow the opposing faction into running away. But we will achieve victorious glory by ensuring they know who their killers are."

Sheridan was in fleet command mode. "Because for them this is a holy quest: Destroy all Humans. If there are too many ships, these three might jump away to gather more resources. I like our chances if it stays at three attacking basestars. More would almost ensure losses on our side. Honor is important – but winning is the end game. We need to crush them until they either are destroyed or run away to lick their wounds. We're responsible for protecting a hundred billion souls – anything which makes our losses less and their losses more is acceptable."

Shakiri paused as he looked at Sheridan for a long moment. "En'til'zha?" He was asking not for the opinion of the religious caste leader Delenn of Mir but for the opinion of the leader of the Anla'shok.

In Minbari she said, "I agree with Starkiller in this: The preservation all peoples is paramount. But you are Shai Alyt and you command the warrior caste."

Shakiri blinked and then he looked at Adama. "Admiral? This battle is at your command. I answer to you in this."

Adama didn't know everything that was being said – there was something of a background here – but he agreed with Sheridan. "Ask them to prepare to jump. Ensure the White Stars pass along strategic intelligence so they know which basestars are the enemies. And when they jump they come in shooting. This is not an honorable enemy."

"Acknowledged, Admiral Adama."

Soon Shakiri was giving orders to the three warships who waited in hyperspace in Feek, the language of the warrior caste. They would be ready when called.

The Heavy raider carried Six and the Guardian Centurion back. A few minutes later, right at the agreed upon time, both the Rebel Basestars and the Atlantia and its fleet became much more aggressive in their stances.

* * *

The Atlantia signaled that the three basestars appeared to be getting ready to jump. The Atlantia launched its viper compliment as well as the Nials.

An order came through. "All units: Mark all fighters currently in the field as friendly. Loyalist basestars preparing to jump. Orders to Gordon, now callsign Hypnos, and Alexander, now callsign Goddess: Concentrate on the two baseships closest to each of your positions. Acknowledge." The operation was named after the Cylons who had taken a single leader during the first Cylon war. That Cylon was called "Imperious Leader" for some reason. The two telepaths would take control of two and the third would be confused when it wasn't being supported.

Acknowledgement came through.

Adama was in the background while Tyler commanded the Battlegroup. Shakiri was commanding the Nials and the Sharlins that would be appearing. The White Stars would attack but were primarily concerned with providing a platform for the telepaths. Caprica Six commanded the Rebel faction. All answered to Adama.

Sheridan and the Ambassadors would all observe from displays in the conference room.

Two minutes after the fighters already present began mock approaches toward each other as though attacking, the three basestars jumped in.

The two White Stars immediately moved nearer the outer two as all three disgorged their raiders

The two Gunstars moved up and down as far as the field went so that they could fire out of the path of Atlantia's guns.

Even as raider began approaching the Atlantia and the two Rebel basestars, Figthers began picking of raiders coming toward the flank and the interceptors began firing toward the ships that attacked directly.

There was a distinct pause in the Cylon advance when the battlestar's laser fire became visible.

"Shakiri. Signal the Sharlins."

The two telepaths who were linked in with the White Stars reported, "Goddess and Hypnos have made a link with the Loyalist Hybrids."

Two basestars had stopped in their flight path. The raiders from these ships were also beginning to lose cohesion in their flight paths. The squadrons no longer looked like a coordinated group.

The vipers and Nials began decimating the attacking raiders. The vipers were a mixture of those that fired lasers and those that fired kinetic rounds.

The two White took care of raiders coming for them and Nials from Atlantia took care of those coming in at the side.

There was suddenly three vortexes at the edge of the battlefield and three Sharlins flew through them. They fired their main guns at the Loyalist ships.

Everything was going well until one of the attacking raiders used their ability to jump to run into one of the White Stars. This interfered with the control of the basestar hybrid.

The telepath on the Atlantia reported it immediately. As the central ship was effectively destroyed, Adama ordered the fleet to concentrate on the ship that had freed itself. However something else happened:

A significant number of raiders suddenly stopped attacking and effectively stopped in place. This was expanding out from the point it had started.

Adama called out, "What's happening?"

The telepath had a look of shock. "Goddess struck out instinctively when her concentration on the hybrid was disrupted. She's taken control of the attacking raider fleet."

* * *

On the damaged White Star the crew felt a bit of foreboding when the Human telepath was standing there with black eyes and an expression of anger. There were many stories from her actions during the Earth civil war but this particular phenomenon was spoken of quietly and with great respect.

Mentally she sent a question through the telepath on Atlantia and then, receiving an answer she said in an otherwordly voice, "Okay, puppies. Off you go."

Out on the battlefield the allied ships watched as the entire group of attacking raiders turned around and began firing at and running into the three Loyalist ships. It was too much for the ships already damaged by Minbari Sharlins and the three ships from New Kobol. All three exploded quite violently.

"Good boys. Now, return to your pack."

The surviving raiders that had been part of the Loyalist ships began linking in to the Rebel basestars at the command of that friendly voice.

The Rebel Humanform Cylons felt a distinct chill at how the battle had suddenly ended.

* * *

Adama was maintaining his calm as the telepath that had been communicating with Lyta reported, "Goddess has sent all surviving Loyalist Raiders have been sent to replace the destroyed Rebel raiders."

Adama nodded. "Send a stand down to all units. I expect reports on readiness within thirty minutes. Contact the Rebel basestars and tell them that we will be able to resume talks when we've completed after-action procedures."

"Aye, Admiral."

"Find out if the damaged White Star needs us to maneuver to recapture or if they can make their own way."

"Yes, Admiral." Cole, who had remained on board when the threat had appeared began working to recover the damaged White Star and the telepath who had been on board.

"What is the status of Goddess?" he asked the telepath.

"She has released her control of all raiders and is now recovering. She is drinking the replacement fluids and ensuring she will recover."

"Pass along that she is ordered to get checked out as soon as she lands on Atlantia."

"Yes, Admiral. I will pass along your orders."

He spoke to Tyler. "Let's get this cleaned up while I speak to Sheridan and Delenn about what we do next."

"Yes, Admiral."

Adama nodded to those who had been following him and then made his way out.

* * *

It took three hours to get everything sorted out. Lyta had been checked out. Adama went to the infirmary to ensure she was okay. "Report, Colonel."

Though she was sitting down, she sat a little straighter. "During the battle, after the interruption, I instinctively reached out to the raiders. As reported, they are not fully sentient and are closer to the mentality of a pack of dogs. I used a significant portion of my abilities to take control of them, to become their Alpha. I did not dangerously exert myself - my abilities have grown. Once the attacking ships were destroyed I gave them a message of approval and sent the back to the Rebel basestars - I didn't think it appropriate that they might attempt to follow me home."

Adama considered that. "Was there a danger of that?"

Lyta sighed. "Yes. If I hadn't made them link in to the Rebel baseships, they would have made the attempt and eventually become feral as though they had become abandoned. They have a very animal mentality. If necessary, I now believe I can take control of any raider group that might attack."

"Could any strong telepath do this?" he asked.

"No, Sir. I believe that my abilities are unique and are due to modifications the Vorlons made to me when I fled Psi Corps to Vorlon space. I've come to realize something."

"What's that?" Adama asked.

"The telepaths were made as weapons of war. What no one considered is what happens when you're fighting a war and you've used up your small weapons, you've used up your medium sized weapons. In that case, usually each side will have one or two very big weapons where there is no other choice, when all of the other weapons have been expended."

Adama considered that for a long moment. "You're the telepathic equivalent of a doomsday weapon."

Lyta Alexander's eyes changed and she said in her otherworldly voice, "Yes, Sir."

Adama showed no fear. "Well, at least we know where to go if everything goes all to hell. Once the doctors are finished, find me. It might be good if you were present when the Rebel leaders come back to finish talks."

Her face showed her shock at his lack of reaction. "Yes, Sir." Her voice sounded normal.

"Take care of yourself, Colonel. That's an order." With a smile, he left the infirmary.

* * *

Her presence certainly caused a reaction when the two Cylon leaders came back. They were very respectful when they were introduced. A tentative agreement came out of the meeting that the Thirteen Tribes would help to destroy the Hub, Cavil's center of power, and then the surviving Humanform Cylons would gather themselves and be brought back to New Kobol.

Some would have to answer for their actions but eventually they would be integrated. There was really no other choice.


	28. The End of the Cylon War

The planning for the operation took time. This was only because Adama wanted to ensure everything was taken into account. This wasn't a desperate attack made in the heat of the moment. This was the deliberate destruction of the enemy's home base.

If they succeeded, the Cylon Civil War could end and the final separation of mechanical and organic models would go forward.

The Guardian centurion was very forthcoming with details on the hub, as the Guardians had been in command until Cavil had, in effect, performed a coup d'état and taken full control.

Admiral Turner, as the Chairman of the Joint Fleets and overall commander of the military arm of the thirteenth tribe was in control of the meeting. The Commandant of Homeworld Defense Brigadier General John Conners was also present. However, his part was ensuring that the New Kobol system was fortified on the very small chance that a retreat was needed. He was also in charge of ensuring the penal area for all surviving Humanform Cylons Loyalists was prepared.

Brigadier General Clemente, commanding the Marines, would be in charge of manning the facility and keeping it passive while investigations and trials were completed. The marines were the primary ground forces of the military and played the primary role in such things as the Loyalist models were to be considered Prisoners of War.

The primary leader for the attack would be Adama, as this was strictly going to be Fleet operation.

Shakiri of the warrior caste of the Minbari was present also, though that was mostly for his expertise. He, however, was not satisfied with just his expertise alone. "We will provide warriors to assist the firing crews on Atlantia. They have expertise on the weapon types employed."

Adama was unwilling.

"While your people are superior warriors, this battle could result in the destruction of one or more of the battlestars. Galactica will be there – she was built for just this kind of action and, other than Atlantia, is the most prepared. Atlantia will be there – she's got the weapons which the Loyalist faction has the least familiarity with. But there won't be any fighters launched. This is a straight up breaching attack: Our ships against their hub. Whoever is left is the winner."

He looked around. "Our people built the Cylons – it's on our head to end this. Let me be very clear: While our plan is for the attacking ships is for their survival, if the Hub is destroyed and all ships attacking get destroyed this will still be a win. This is the end of what amounts to a four-thousand year conflict. If we win this, there won't be any more Cylon threat."

Cole, who observed for the Rangers, said, "Which is why you should accept Rangers and warrior caste volunteers. This is a threat to more than the descendants of Kobol. This is a threat to all members of the Interstellar Alliance. En'til'zha Delenn was very clear before she left for Tuzanor: This is a matter for the Anla'shok as well. We live for the one, we die for the one. In Valen's Name."

Adama sighed. "And you're going to say something similar too. Right, Shakiri?"

Shakiri answered, "Yes. The closest accessible space for the Cylons is Minbari space – we are on the other side of what was formerly Vorlon space, which contains its own defenses. It is our duty to minimize risk for our people. We will go because it is in our best interests to do so. For a warrior, death is only the end of duty, a setting down of burden. It is a consequence just as any other. It is to be feared no more and no less than any other result."

Adama considered that. He looked at Tyler. "How many will need to deploy on Atlantia? We don't need viper or raptor pilots save a few for emergencies. How many to man the ship and fire the guns?"

Tyler considered that. "Minimum steward complement to feed and take care of crew, two watches to man the weapons and ship with a minimum complement of crew to effect emergency repairs efficiently:" he paused as he considered and looked over his notes, "250. 350 would be better if we shut down networking despite our firewalls."

"Galactica needs 400 – our systems are more manual."

Turner spoke up. "Nova is set to return from its mission in four days. This will free up Prometheus as the command platform for New Kobol space." He turned to the participants who had spoken the least other than answering questions.

"Caprica Six. What facility is important enough to draw all defending basestars from the Hub if it was attacked by a fleet of Battlestars and Gunstars?"

Caprica Six considered that. "While the Hub has is the resurrection center, the secondary resurrection facility is vital if Cavil wishes to ensure supremacy for the Humanform Cylons. Centurions do not resurrect and can be newly built elsewhere. Basestars can 'grow' new raiders with enough raw materials." She manipulated the map until a different portion was highlighted. "But if this was threatened," and she pointed to a system 5 light-years from the Hub, "it would prove disastrous for his long-term plans." She looked around the room. "We have not attacked because before the decision for the Mechanical and Humanform Cylons to split, it would have been in our best interests to leave it alone. If we are truly leaving, it will have to be destroyed as well."

Turner looked and then asked, "Would a surprise attack with Prometheus, Pegasus, and four Gunstars be sufficient to ensure its destruction?"

Caprica nodded. "Yes. More than enough. And because there are raiders and basestars, a full fighter attack would be useful. Your White Stars would also prove valuable."

Cole said, "We can load four White Stars into the Pegasus and Prometheus and still have sufficient landing space for Nials and vipers." He looked at Caprica. "Will this be where most Humanform Cylons could be found?"

Caprica considered that. "If you attack and allow time for all reserves to be called in: Yes. In fact, outside of the Hub's destruction, this could be considered to most vital target for long-term separation." She looked over at the Guardian. "If the attack succeeds, this is where we can ensure the limiters are removed and the Centurions are freed fully from organic control."

The Guardian answered, "Once victory is declared, the countdown begins. Ten Caprican days for all organic models and Humans to leave this sector. After this, we will destroy any we find."

The New Kobol leaders were chilled at that but Adama said, "Ten days. But we reserve the right to visit the Twelve Colonies and Kobol to retrieve items of historical and other significance to our people." They still had plans to recover anything from the colonies that would be useful.

"The Centurions will inspect these systems regularly. No new facilities will be built there. No permanent residence will be allowed."

"Permanent is defined as living there more than ninety Caprican days within a three-hundred sixy day year." Adama knew that there would be those who wanted to spend time digging up their history.

"All organics will submit to inspection for identification and compliance."

"No mechanical Cylons will be allowed to move to move to the sector containing the Interstellar Alliance." If they couldn't come to the sector, than the Cylons couldn't come to theirs.

"No Artificial Intelligence will be built by Humans. The Cylon Imperium will command all Mechanical Life."

"No Artificial Intelligence life will be built by the Kobol descendants. The Kobol descendants will not assist or direct Earth in any way other than protesting such projects. We have no control of Earth Alliance. If the Interstellar Alliance encounters Mechanical life which is not Cylon, this shall not be a matter of Cylon concern." They couldn't control anything beyond their own borders.

"If the Interstellar Alliance encounters Mechanical Life, they shall direct them to contact the Cylon Imperium and allow free communication."

"The Organics will have permission to build an Armistice Station in the system where the Rebel Cylons and the Alliance first met. We will be allowed to visit this station for communication and for any such contact regarding non-Cylon Mechanical Life. No organic shall be destroyed for visiting this system."

"The Cylon Imperium shall build the Armistice Station. No organic construction shall be allowed. All contact shall be voluntary."

Adama looked around. "Is there anything else that needs to be brought up as regards the battles or what comes after?"

Cole said, "Any treaty will have to be ratified by the Interstellar Alliance. I will ensure that the President and En'til'zha are sent a copy of what is being spoken of."

Turner said, "I'll inform the President of the Colonies and he will submit the treaty to the Senate for ratification there. The Quorum of Thirteen will also be apprised as this will affect New Kobol law and jurisprudence."

Caprica Six was curious. "I though the Quorum represented the Tribes."

Turner answered, "The Copernicus Colony formed the model of our government as it is. Residents are represented by Senators representing different Tribes. The Quorum of Twelve was expanded to the Quorum of Thirteen, the last Tribe named after Earth's thirteenth constellation Ophiuchus, and made our High Court. The Thirteenth Tribe includes all residents that came from Terra, immigrants from Earth, and all Humanform Cylons who achieve citizenship unless they apply specifically for membership of a different tribe."

Caprica Six asks, "What does it take to achieve citizenship?"

The Guardian Cylon interrupted. "It is of no concern for the Cylon Imperium how organics arrange themselves. Once the battle is planned and our terms transmitted, I shall leave and the organics may confer on matters involving their existence."

With that, the plan was finalized and a treaty for after was constructed. Once the Cylons were free, the Cylon Collective would become the Cylon Imperium and the matter would be ratified by whatever leaders they made for themselves.

* * *

It was five days later and the New Kobol forces arrived at the designated system which would be the retreat position for both missions. The Rebel Cylons also arrived – they had six basestars. The Loyalists controlled eleven – the fighting had been fierce when it occurred and neither side had time to replace destroyed ships. Of the six, five were current versions and one was the version the Humans had faced in the first Cylon War.

The New Kobol forces included Atlantia, Galactica, Prometheus, Pegasus, and Erasmus for battlestars and Spirit, Katana, Crossbow, Sentinel, and Tomahawk for Gunstars. Added to this were four White Stars which would launch from the larger ships attacking the Resurrection facility.

The two attacking the Hub would wait thirty minutes or until a raptor sent from Prometheus jumped back and gave the go order. The New Kobol contingent was sufficient, with luck, to destroy the entire surviving Cylon forces. Such was the reason that it was assumed that Cavil would be alarmed enough to ensure the Loyalist faction won the battle by sending all reserves.

Each White Star had a telepath and one of them was Colonel Lyta Alexander. When the eleven basestars were all committed, she would attempt to take control of the raider fleet. As this could be considered the final battle, she would not hold back.

Several Nials off of Prometheus would be charged with ensuring the safety of her White Star as she could conceivably win the battle and the war entirely using her Vorlon-enhanced abilities.

Marcus Cole commanded the ship carrying the redheaded Colonel and was given clear instructions on the matter: Once the battle was won and the threat of what Lyta could do to the raider fleet made obvious, Marcus would jump the White Star into hyperspace and wait until given an all clear from Adama or Tyler. If no such word was given after twelve hours, he would traverse the chaotic hyperspace of local space sufficiently to ensure they were not under immediate attack and then transmit a tachyon beam to the hidden Eternal, which waited in the space between systems – Adama had no trust that the Cylon Imperium would make no attempt to "accidentally" or more deliberately attack New Kobol's failsafe against attack by Cylon raiders in the future.

This plan was a failsafe in case all attacking ships were destroyed or had to retreat.

Adama looked out at the waiting battlestars and baseships and finally gave the order. "Mr. Gaeta. Inform all units: Overlord is a go. Operation Normandy is a go." This was named after some battle from Earth history – Cole suggested the names. Overlord was the overall name and Normandy was the attack on the secondary resurrection facility which would draw off the Loyalist faction.

Gaeta passed on the order and the Gunstars began jumping out. Within three minutes, only Atlantia and Galactica remained. "Start the clock on Operation Citadel." Citadel was the attack on the Hub.

It was twenty four minutes into the countdown when a raptor appeared. "Raptor 2-2-9 to Galactica."

"This is Galactica. Go."

"All Loyalist basestars accounted for and engaged. Olympus sends word: Citadel is a go." Olympus was the call sign for Cole's White Star as it carried Goddess. That meant that Lyta was in the process of beginning a takeover of all Loyalist raiders.

Adama nodded to Gaeta. "Acknowledged, Raptor 2-2-9. Citadel is a go. Continue on to Eternal."

"This is Raptor 2-2-9. Acknowledged."

"Galactica to Atlantia."

"Atlantia. Go."

"Your clock begins as soon as we jump."

"Acknowledged."

Galactica disappeared thirty seconds later. It would have to survive for three minutes and force the Hub to concentrate. Three minutes after Galactica arrived, Atlantia would arrive and shoot from a different angle. Main guns, kinetic and energy-based, would be primed before Atlantia jumped.

As soon as the Galactica arrived, Tigh took command of the Galactica's part. "Verify position and activate all weapons!"

Gaeta called out, "Position verified!"

The gunnery officer called out a few seconds later, "All emplacements activated!"

"All weapons free. Fire at will."

And with that, the slugfest began. Galactica was rocked as the defenses of the Hub concentrated on the former flagship of refugee fleet.

Galactica had been brought up to full repair and so she actually survived the onslaught much better than what would have been the case when she led the fleet out. Her frame was stressed and damage was reported in all sectors, but she held.

At three minutes precisely, Gaeta called out, "Atlantia has arrived!"

"Pass on the order to engage." Adama was in overall command as Tigh commanded Galactica's part.

Adama watched his instruments as the battle continued. In this type of fight, seconds counted and a split-second decision might be needed.

And what his screens told him verified their hope: The Cylon Hub had no real defense for the forty-inch plasma guns which Atlantia boasted nor the interceptors which took care of missiles launched from the Hub.

He was watching the screen as the main guns of Atlantia sliced through the primary command center for the Hub and explosions started there. As the primary command center was exploding, secondary explosions began occurring at different locations.

"Orders to Citadel! Begin jump readiness."

"Aye, sir!" Gaeta passed the word to Atlantia and then began his own operations. "

When Gaeta called out that the Hub was at imminent destruction, Tigh called out, "Cease fire and secure emplacements!"

Adama called out, "Begin jump sequence."

"Jump ready."

"Jump the ships."

Within ten seconds, the two Battlestars disappeared from Hub space. And thirty seconds later, massive explosions began, leaving a twisted wreckage behind.

* * *

Galactica and Atlantia appeared at the edge of the battle for the Resurrection facility. "Report."

Gaeta began checking his instruments and contacting Prometheus, which led the assault.

"Prometheus reports six loyalist basestars destroyed or made inoperable. Fleet engaging remaining Loyalist ships. Resurrection Hub has sustained critical damage."

"Transmit on all frequencies, ours and theirs: Cylon Command and Resurrection Hub destroyed. Secondary Resurrection facilities critically damaged. All ships, New Kobol and Cylon, disengage. The war is over."

It took about thirty seconds, but soon there were no more guns being fired. One of the White Stars called in. "Operation Turtle commencing." That White Star opened a jump point and disappeared into hyperspace.

The Cylon basestars now had to contend with the freed raiders now needing to be controlled. As she had planned, however, the surviving raiders began linking up to the surviving basestars.

The Guardian basestar, which had stayed back, signaled out: "Ten day clock begins now."

"Acknowledge that. And then get me a report on surviving units."

One of the Gunstars, Tomahawk, had been destroyed, all 200 crew lost. Erasmus, the smallest Battlestar involved, had sustained critical damage as well. They had actually only lost forty crew but the ship would need to be scuttled – it was far too damaged to easily retrieve and New Kobol didn't want to leave it for the Cylons to pick over. Its survivors would transfer over to Atlantia.

Forty vipers had been lost, and few of the pilots survived. Only six Nials had been destroyed – their stealth had served them in good stead.

The remaining surviving ships from Normandy had lost thirty three non-pilot personnel. The White Stars had actually come out relatively undamaged – they had been too fast for the basestars to truly target.

The entire number of New Kobol and Minabri crew that died throughout the fleet was 332.

Atlantia had performed all emergency repairs, collected all critical patients, and then jumped into hyperspace itself to retrieve the fourth White Star – the other three landed on Prometheus and Pegasus.

Once Atlantia returned to normal space, she immediately jumped to Eternal and then onto the contact system, which contained New Kobol's hospital ship. Critical patients were transferred as soon as the ship landed on Atlantia's deck.

Eternal, completely fresh, oversaw the Cylon Imperium transferring all Humanform Cylons to New Kobol ships. Most of these went willingly. There were a few loyalists that had to be dragged kicking and screaming or who ended up dead – those that survived ended up in detention facilities on Eternal.

All Rebel Humanform Cylons assisted the Centurions on removing all control units and then gave themselves over to New Kobol ships. They would be treated well and brought back to New Kobol and the long process of separating the truly heinously guilty from those that were less so would begin.

It was understood that none were completely innocent. During the Fall of the Twelve Colonies the entire collective was united, even if some had been duped. The only Humanform Cylons deemed completely innocent were the Final Five, who had remained loyal to Humanity and had suffered a suppression of their memories because of that.

Terra's destruction was the crime of the Loyalists – the Rebel Cylons had resisted and attempted to prevent it.

The end of the Cylon Collective provided a benefit that had been unlooked for: The return of _all_ Humans held for any reason by the Cylons. There hadn't been many, but there had still been some attempt at trying to overcome the inability of most Cylons to procreate.

Some of the survivors were in bad shape and would require much care both physical and mental. Other survivors were, on the whole, kept in good shape physically but would still require care for their mental suffering.

And there were some prisoners who had begun to receive treatment by the few Model 4 Cylons who had gone along with the Rebels. The Fours were mostly medical personnel and had been given all rescued Humans to care for as they were freed from Loyalist control.

In the end, 736 Human prisoners had been finally freed including an old friend of Adama's from the first Cylon War.

Erasmus had been entered into hyperspace by Atlantia after she had returned from getting Lyta Alexander safely back to Alliance Space. Erasmus would be pulled in by the gravitational wells and disappear. The remaining New Kobol crew members had watched with solemn respect as she was consigned to the deep.

Eight days after Overlord had begun, the final retreat of all Human and Humanform peoples had been made to the Contact System. It's location was solely based on it being one of the few systems at the edge of the Dark regions which allowed a connection to the hyperspace gate network if a ship had the ability to jump and leave hyperspace.

The Mechanical Cylons were not to be led to the hyperspace network. And because it was effectively useless to them because of the sector they lived in, it was agreed that the Cylon Imperium would not be given this technology.

New Kobol was the only government which had access to a similar FTL system to what the Cylons used. The Cylons were barred from ever giving this technology out, even to New Kobol if they lost their own ability for some reason.

Shai Alyt Shakiri worked the agreement that New Kobol would not be the government which visited the Contact system. The warrior caste of the Minbari would send regular patrols and would accept any official contact. The warrior caste would also coordinate any contact between Cylon and New Kobol during any trip to the Twelve Colonies or Kobol.

New Kobol could effectively concentrate on their own people and the Humanform Cylons who lived with them. In the end, New Kobol was happy that the Cylon sector was no longer their concern.

* * *

New Kobol, along with the Alliance, would begin the long process of connecting all systems containing sentient life to the greater galaxy. Within five years, the Interstellar Alliance would increase to forty member states.

By the time of President Sheridan's death, twenty years after the end of Earth's civil war, their relationship with the wider galaxy was solidified.

Adama held command of the New Kobol Fleet for 3 years after the final end of the Cylon conflict. He retired and lived with his wife Laura for several years at the Hope settlement, mostly surrounded by telepaths.

Lyta Alexander served for a few years as well, marrying Byron Gordon. She resigned her commission as a General when Earth's telepathic crisis came to a head and led the faction of telepaths opposed to the Psi Corps.

Within 5 years, all of the original Battlestars had been replaced with more modern ships sporting technology that advanced as their cooperation with other governments increased. Galactica, as had nearly been done in the Twelve Colonies, became a museum. It contained all publicly known information on the history of the Kobol descendants and the Cylon Wars. It became a part of the orbiting spaceport which was the point of ingress into New Kobol.

Prometheus, which had been a symbol of hope for the Copernicus Colony, was also made a museum and was landed at Athens, the capital of New Kobol.

The Luna Colony became Earth's primary extra-Earth base within the Sol system, replacing Mars as the launch point for Earth Alliance operations.

The Mars populace was just fine with that.

The last of the Psi Corps facilities on Mars had been unearthed during the Telepath War and systematically destroyed rather than put to use by the Mars government. They had no desire to reuse facilities which had oversaw such horrors.

And while there would be conflicts and troubles, New Kobol firmly took its place within the Galactic community. And when the Earth Alliance nearly destroyed itself 500 years later, it was at the center of the recovery of Earth for the next thousand years.


End file.
